This next one, I cannot believe I'm about to do it
the University of Arizona Poetry Center.
But I was asked to, so I will.
But before I do that, I want to say, thank you, U of A Poetry
Center for having me.
It really is truly an honor, not only to be invited here today,
but to be invited to work with our young people
in Poetry Out Loud.
And it's a responsibility I take very seriously.
And it's an honor.
And it's an honor to have the University of Arizona Poetry
Center in Tucson.
Because this is a nationwide respected place, right?
This is like international caliber,
what we have right here.
So give it up for the Poetry Center, right now.
[APPLAUSE]
And this poem is called "Epic Tale of Love in Tucson."
Ah.
[LAUGHTER]
Yeah, some of you have heard it.
"They came from two different sides of town,
from two powerful families, each a legend in Tucson.
On the days when the heat is a sixth sense, a searing hello
of morning breath, a middle finger stuck in your armpit,
Tucson has no choice but to turn to one family or the other
for relief on those days.
It is either got to be an Eegee's or a raspado.
[LAUGHTER]
And these two families, they stay locked in a constant
give and take.
Two families in a constant cold war for the hearts and palates
of Tucson during summertime.
A war that got hotter than 100 degree day in October.
The day that it happened, when these two star passed lovers
finally met.
Yes, this is the story, and the poem about the day
that the raspado and the Eegee's fell in love.
Downright cold, from two different worlds,
the Eegee's fell for the raspado,
and the raspado for the Eegee's,
- Y sus familias no estaban de acuerdo,
pero los amantes se juraban que eran de una nueva generación
que no sería marcado por el odio.
No.
No había manera de deshacer el amor.
No.
Even if miscegenation laws had tried
to ban such unions in Arizona until 1959, - No, digo si. Su amor triunfara. Si.
Yes, it was a hot day on West St Mary's"--
where there's an Eegee's less than a block from donde los
raspados, just saying.
"There they were.
Their eyes met, and they began condensating profusely, staring
into each other's cups, swooning through Styrofoam.
[LAUGHTER]
- Derritiendo con el deseo.
Their love burned and they melted.
It was still over 100 degrees in October.
But it was not the heat.
It was that they were in love.
De verdad, their bond was so tight
that railroad tracks could not come between them.
Their adobe love stood so strong that not even a TCC parking lot
could pave them over.
Their unity was so united that they both made
fun of the $5 smoothie place downtown,
offering bougie ingredients like spirulina.
Hah!
Nutrition.
Hah!
The raspado and the Eegee's have no time for such seriousness,
as they are in love.
[LAUGHTER]
And their love was long, like lines at the liquor store
drive-through.
[LAUGHTER]
- Bueno.
Dice que el Eegee's nació después de un intento fallido de unos gringos
a hacer un
shaved ice in the back of a trailer, pero no importa.
Por aquí caray.
The feud between these two families
was nothing compared to their love.
And so, together, they protested the health department.
They spoke truth to the school board,
asking for both of their histories
to be taught in the classroom.
But most of all, wherever they slushed, they dreamed.
- Sí amigos.
Cómo soñaban.
Of a day when the rompope could stomp with the strawberry.
When the beso de ángel could smooch with the lemonade.
When the watermelon could walk with a tamarindo.
When the jungle juice would quit being such a frat boy cliche.
When the ? [iced tea Eegee's ?] could bounce con el café.
Of a day when the coco could hand
hold the hand of black strawberry in public.
Of a day when the Eegee's piña colada could marry a piña
colada raspado.
[LAUGHTER]
Yes!
Love is love is love.
And they dreamed in solidarity with all dreamers.
They came from two different families,
from two different sides of town,
until love opened their eyes.
And they started to see Eegee's and raspado joints everywhere.
Except for the foothills.
[LAUGHTER]
Their love opened their eyes and they
realized that only in Tucson could these two sides meet.
Yes, only on 22nd Street could the tuna salad
put down its fists and embrace the carne asada.
Yes, only in Tucson--
where we like our iced drinks so damn complex
we have to eat them with a spoon, where
we like our [? mestizaje ?] cool and naturally flavored.
Yes, we are Tuscon.
We stand with the forbidden love of the raspado
and the Eegee's and we choose to celebrate them both.
We are Arizona.
Yes, there is a hate.
But it is a dry hate.
But we will quench that hate as only a raspeegee's can.
Yeah, I said it--
raspeegee's.
No 7-11 Círculo K squishy, Slurpee, wannabee drink.
No!
Raspeegee's! ¡Sí! ¡Que viva el amor! ¡Que vivan los amantes!
¡Que long live raspeegee's!"
[APPLAUSE]