Orr’s most recent collection of poems is City of Salt, which was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Award for poetry in 1995. He has published several volumes of poetry, as well as books of essays and criticism. His poetry and translations of poetry have appeared over the years in a number of anthologies.

Currently on the creative writing faculty at the University of Virginia, Orr has held a Guggenheim Fellowship in poetry, two National Endowment for the Arts fellowships and a Senior Fulbright Lectureship.

Orr’s reading is sponsored by the Department of English.