Ilya Kaminsky - January 23, 2025

Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Date
Reading Series
Fall Reading Series
Location
Poetry Center
Ilya Kaminsky

Ilya Kaminsky reads from Deaf Republic (2019), a parable in poems that considers violence, complicity, resistance, community, and intimacy. Set in a fictional town under occupation, the narrative opens with the murder of a young boy by a soldier. Kaminsky reads primarily from the book's first act, which follows a pregnant woman and her husband as the soldiers' violence against the town escalates. This reading was originally given with Katie Farris.

Tags

Tracks
kaminsky-ilya_01-23-2025_01.mp4
Welcome
Description

by Tyler Meier

Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Captions
KAMINSKY-ILYA_01-23-2025_01.vtt
View Track
kaminsky-ilya_01-23-2025_02.mp4
Introduction
Description

by Julie Swarstad Johnson

Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Captions
KAMINSKY-ILYA_01-23-2025_02.vtt
View Track
kaminsky-ilya_01-23-2025_03.mp4
Opening Remarks
Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Captions
KAMINSKY-ILYA_01-23-2025_03.vtt
View Track
kaminsky-ilya_01-23-2025_04.mp4
"We Lived Happily during the War"
Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Citation

Kaminsky, Ilya. Deaf Republic. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2019.

tag
war
nation
money
country
complacency
Captions
KAMINSKY-ILYA_01-23-2025_04.vtt
View Track
kaminsky-ilya_01-23-2025_05.mp4
"Gunshot"
Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Citation

Kaminsky, Ilya. Deaf Republic. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2019.

tag
soldiers
war
death
nation
army
military occupation
Captions
KAMINSKY-ILYA_01-23-2025_05.vtt
View Track
kaminsky-ilya_01-23-2025_06.mp4
"As Soldiers March, Alfonso Covers the Boy's Face with a Newspaper"
Description

Differs slightly from published version.

Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Citation

Kaminsky, Ilya. Deaf Republic. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2019.

tag
soldiers
war
death
nation
army
military occupation
grief
Captions
KAMINSKY-ILYA_01-23-2025_06.vtt
View Track
kaminsky-ilya_01-23-2025_07.mp4
"Alfonso, in Snow"
Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Citation

Kaminsky, Ilya. Deaf Republic. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2019.

tag
short poem
manhood
Captions
KAMINSKY-ILYA_01-23-2025_07.vtt
View Track
kaminsky-ilya_01-23-2025_08.mp4
"Deafness, an Insurgency, Begins"
Description

Differs slightly from published version. 

Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Citation

Kaminsky, Ilya. Deaf Republic. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2019.

tag
resistance
deafness
country
nation
war
military occupation
protest
Captions
KAMINSKY-ILYA_01-23-2025_08.vtt
View Track
kaminsky-ilya_01-23-2025_09.mp4
"Alfonso Stands Answerable"
Description

Differs slightly from published version. 

Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Citation

Kaminsky, Ilya. Deaf Republic. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2019.

tag
protest
resistance
deafness
Captions
KAMINSKY-ILYA_01-23-2025_09.vtt
View Track
kaminsky-ilya_01-23-2025_10.mp4
"That Map of Bone and Opened Valves"
Description

Differs slightly from published version.

Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Citation

Kaminsky, Ilya. Deaf Republic. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2019.

tag
soldiers
war
death
nation
army
military occupation
Captions
KAMINSKY-ILYA_01-23-2025_10.vtt
View Track
kaminsky-ilya_01-23-2025_11.mp4
"Before the War, We Made a Child"
Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Citation

Kaminsky, Ilya. Deaf Republic. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2019.

tag
sex
sensuality
war
Captions
KAMINSKY-ILYA_01-23-2025_11.vtt
View Track
kaminsky-ilya_01-23-2025_12.mp4
"Soldiers Aim at Us"
Description

Differs slightly from published version. 

Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Citation

Kaminsky, Ilya. Deaf Republic. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2019.

tag
military occupation
soldiers
survival
war
Captions
KAMINSKY-ILYA_01-23-2025_12.vtt
View Track
kaminsky-ilya_01-23-2025_13.mp4
"Lullaby"
Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Citation

Kaminsky, Ilya. Deaf Republic. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2019.

tag
child
lullaby
Captions
KAMINSKY-ILYA_01-23-2025_13.vtt
View Track
kaminsky-ilya_01-23-2025_14.mp4
"While the Child Sleeps, Sonya Undresses"
Description

Differs slightly from published version. 

Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Citation

Kaminsky, Ilya. Deaf Republic. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2019.

tag
intimacy
silence
country
nation
Captions
KAMINSKY-ILYA_01-23-2025_14.vtt
View Track
kaminsky-ilya_01-23-2025_15.mp4
"4 a.m. Bombardment"
Description

Differs slightly from published version. 

Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Citation

Kaminsky, Ilya. Deaf Republic. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2019.

tag
bombs
war
country
nation
military occupation
soldiers
Captions
KAMINSKY-ILYA_01-23-2025_15.vtt
View Track
kaminsky-ilya_01-23-2025_16.mp4
"A Cigarette"
Description

Differs slightly from published version.

Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Citation

Kaminsky, Ilya. Deaf Republic. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2019.

tag
laughter
resistance
deafness
community
war
Captions
KAMINSKY-ILYA_01-23-2025_16.vtt
View Track
kaminsky-ilya_01-23-2025_17.mp4
"Firing Squad"
Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Citation

Kaminsky, Ilya. Deaf Republic. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2019.

tag
daily life
military occupation
witness
violence
Captions
KAMINSKY-ILYA_01-23-2025_17.vtt
View Track
kaminsky-ilya_01-23-2025_18.mp4
"The Townspeople Watch Them Take Alfonso"
Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Citation

Kaminsky, Ilya. Deaf Republic. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2019.

tag
witness
silence
military violence
military occupation
town
Captions
KAMINSKY-ILYA_01-23-2025_18.vtt
View Track
kaminsky-ilya_01-23-2025_19.mp4
"In a Time of Peace"
Description

Differs slightly from published version.

Reader
Kaminsky, Ilya
Citation

Kaminsky, Ilya. Deaf Republic. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2019.

tag
police violence
witness
death
nation
country
peace
complacency
Captions
KAMINSKY-ILYA_01-23-2025_19.vtt
View Track
Ilya Kaminsky stands next to a tree and wears a grey button-down shirt over a black undershirt, as well as glasses. The wall behind him is made of gray bricks.
Ilya Kaminsky
Photographer
Paola Valenzuela
View Track
Ilya Kaminsky and Katie Farris stand next to each other. Ilya wears glasses, a grey button-down shirt, and a black undershirt. Katie also wears glasses, as well as a white button-down shirt with small blue prints over a navy blue blazer.
Ilya Kaminsky and Katie Farris
Photographer
Paola Valenzuela
View Track

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