Local poet Heather McHugh joins the MacArthur “genius” award roster along with documentary filmmaker James Longley. A UW instructor and regular reader on the local poetry scene, McHugh is, in the words of Samantha Storey, “inspired and unabashedly witty at her readings, surprising her audience with lyrical phrasing, playful puns, and the subtle humor that abounds in her writing. If ever there were someone who could be drunk on words, McHugh would happily plead guilty to such intoxication; she overflows with a love for syntax and rhythm and can send her readers into a state of wonderment with her ingenious line breaks.” And now, deservedly, her readings are likely to get a lot more crowded.