This week, the Science Fiction Poetry Association announced the winners of the 2016 Rhysling Awards for Best Poem of the year. Lao American writer Krysada Panusith Phounsiri was this year’s winner in the Long Form category for his poem “It Begins With A Haunting.” He shares the award with Ann K. Schwader and her poem “Keziah” as the result of a tie vote among the international organization’s membership. This was the very first year Krysada Panusith Phounsiri had been nominated for the distinction, and his poem first appeared in his debut collection of poetry Dance Among Elephants from Sahtu Press in 2015. Little Laos on the Prairie has featured the poet’s work in the past, in addition to interviewing the San Diego native about his work and inspirations. He recently served as the chair of the highly successful 3rd National Lao American Writers Summit in San Diego, and will be attending the Lao National Convention in Las Vegas this Summer. Krysada Panusith Phounsiri is currently at work on his second book of poetry. The Science Fiction Poetry Association was founded in 1978 to promote science-fiction poetry around the world. The Science …