- Academy of American Poets Award
- NEA Fellowship
- The Capricorn Book Award
- Pablo Neruda Award
- Grant from the Witter Bynner Foundation for Poetry
- Galway Kinnell Poetry Award
- New Millenium Poetry Award
- Blue Light Book Award
- Individual Artist Grant from the Iowa Arts Council
- Residencies at the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation of New Mexico and the Ucross Foundation (Wyoming)
- Two travel grants from the Jerome Foundation (to Cambodia and Newfoundland)
- Finalist for Minnesota Book Award in 1998 (poetry–translation), 2005 (fiction), and 2006 (non-fiction)
- Finalist for Kiriyama Prize, 2006 (non-fiction)
- Nominated for Pushcart Prize, 2011, 2012, 2013
- Project grant for “Farming the Ridge,” Southeast Minnesota Arts Commission, 2012
- Artist Initiative Grant, Minnesota State Arts Board, 2012
- 2014 Minnesota Composer-Librettist Studio, Nautilus Music-Theater, St. Paul.