>Gertrude Stein Award in Innovative Writing, 2009; >Maryland State Arts Council poetry grant, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003; >Fund for Poetry award, 1999; >Columbia Book Award for The Great Indoors, 1996. >Named one of the “Top 100 Irish Americans” by Irish America magazine, 1992; >NEA Creative Writing Fellowship, 1992; >American Book Award for Irish Musicians/American Friends, 1986; >Writing grant, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, 1979, 1989, 1990, 1992. >INDIE award in the Celtic music category for The Light of Other Days, 1989; >Fellowship to Yaddo artist colony, 1975; >Artist-in-Residence, Corcoran College of Art, 1975; >NDEA Doctoral Fellowship, Fordham University 1967–71; > honorary doctorate, Iona College, 2014.