Carol Davis published a book after receiving the T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry for a collection of poems about her Fulbright Scholar experiences in Russia.

Carol V. Davis' collection of poems, Into the Arms of Pushkin, was inspired by her experiences in Russia as a Fulbright Scholar. The collection was selected from more than 500 entries to receive the T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry sponsored by Truman State University Press, Kirksville, Missouri. Davis received $2,000 and publication of her book, in hard- and paper-back editions, in fall 2007.

"I was completely blown away and am just now coming down to earth," Davis said, "It feels wonderful and satisfying to be recognized. It is the culmination of 27 years work."

Davis wrote her poems over a 10-year period, starting in 1996 during her first visit to Russia as a Fulbright Scholar. The collection explores a variety of issues that she encountered overseas, including the effects of language barriers and the isolation and loneliness that can result. The collection was inspired by her children as she witnessed their struggles and successes assimilating with a different culture. One such poem, "The Violin Teacher," was written after observing the language struggles during her son's music lesson.

The judge for the T.S. Eliot Prize, Alberto Rios, commented that the collection shows what life in Russia feels like. "The poem makes it our world, even when the speaker struggles to draw meaning from confusion or frustration. Finding meaning-a continual act of translation and its failure in so many things-propels the poems in this book," Rios said.

Davis expressed that her Fulbright Scholar experience was as personally rewarding as it was professionally. "The role of a poet in Russia is so different than in the United States. It is a respected profession there and that had a tremendous impact psychologically," she said. Davis said that the most rewarding part of her grant was "introducing new literature to students and publishing in Russia."