Walker is also currently Seattle's Poet Populist (poetpopulist.org). He's been living in the cottage with the yellow trim for about a year and a half. His time there will end in September. (Each person gets one year, but can apply for a one-year extension after that, which he did).

He had passed by the cottages and garden before, but never really had a sense that he could live there, until a friend of his applied for the program and was accepted.

His first book is coming out this November. It's a collection of poems called Shuffle and Breakdown, from Waywiser Press. He's a part-time instructor at the UW, and also is a writer-in-residence at both Kimball Elementary in Beacon Hill and The Hutch School.

Walker says he likes living in the cottage. He is really laid-back about his encounters with the homeless folks who sometimes wander into the garden, and says he picks up things like bottles and clothes every so often, when he's feeling like it. One time someone broke into the cottage across from his, but just to sleep in the bathroom (so no one would see him). He's called the police before, but not really out of fear, but to call help for someone who needed it. He mentioned he is aware every day of the privilege he has living for a reduced rent in these cottages. (The Millionair Club borders the garden). (To apply for this fall's Writer-In-Residence opening, contact hugohouse.org.)
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