WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.570 align:middle line:90% 00:00:03.570 --> 00:00:05.580 align:middle line:90% All right. 00:00:05.580 --> 00:00:08.070 align:middle line:84% Thank you so much for that beautiful introduction. 00:00:08.070 --> 00:00:11.010 align:middle line:84% And thank you all for being here. 00:00:11.010 --> 00:00:13.750 align:middle line:84% And thank you, Poetry Center, for bringing me here. 00:00:13.750 --> 00:00:17.100 align:middle line:84% And thanks to all the other readers and artists 00:00:17.100 --> 00:00:18.840 align:middle line:90% who have been feeding me. 00:00:18.840 --> 00:00:20.610 align:middle line:90% And I'm sure many-- 00:00:20.610 --> 00:00:25.260 align:middle line:84% all of us here said, if we're not going to get chewy food, 00:00:25.260 --> 00:00:27.420 align:middle line:90% we can just get brain food. 00:00:27.420 --> 00:00:32.009 align:middle line:84% All right, so this is billed as a reading and a talk. 00:00:32.009 --> 00:00:36.300 align:middle line:84% And so I'm going to move sort of between 00:00:36.300 --> 00:00:38.280 align:middle line:90% the different modalities. 00:00:38.280 --> 00:00:42.120 align:middle line:84% It will be very willy-nilly and pell-mell, perhaps. 00:00:42.120 --> 00:00:44.370 align:middle line:84% But I'm also going to try to save a little bit of time 00:00:44.370 --> 00:00:46.380 align:middle line:84% at the end for questions, which is also 00:00:46.380 --> 00:00:53.460 align:middle line:84% a nice way to kind of move into a more talky sort of approach. 00:00:53.460 --> 00:01:04.050 align:middle line:84% But I'm going to begin with some cheerful poems about, well, 00:01:04.050 --> 00:01:05.160 align:middle line:90% miscarriages. 00:01:05.160 --> 00:01:08.190 align:middle line:90% 00:01:08.190 --> 00:01:11.130 align:middle line:84% "The miscarriage-- a magic trick. 00:01:11.130 --> 00:01:14.460 align:middle line:84% Get a planted volunteer from the audience, 00:01:14.460 --> 00:01:19.740 align:middle line:84% a woman with a large ball of red yarn under her dress. 00:01:19.740 --> 00:01:23.460 align:middle line:84% Lay the woman on your magician's table. 00:01:23.460 --> 00:01:26.490 align:middle line:90% Spread a sheet over her. 00:01:26.490 --> 00:01:29.880 align:middle line:84% Misdirect the audience with patter. 00:01:29.880 --> 00:01:32.850 align:middle line:84% Reach secretly between the woman's legs 00:01:32.850 --> 00:01:36.270 align:middle line:90% and grab the yarns loose end. 00:01:36.270 --> 00:01:41.700 align:middle line:84% Pull until it all trails down the table, piling on the floor. 00:01:41.700 --> 00:01:43.200 align:middle line:90% Presto! 00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:46.815 align:middle line:84% The miscarriage, a radio play, sound effect, rushing liquid. 00:01:46.815 --> 00:01:50.880 align:middle line:90% 00:01:50.880 --> 00:01:53.010 align:middle line:84% Woman's voice-- now, now, little darling. 00:01:53.010 --> 00:01:55.590 align:middle line:84% Don't spill over mommy and daddy's sheets. 00:01:55.590 --> 00:01:59.180 align:middle line:90% Studio audience-- [VOCALIZING] 00:01:59.180 --> 00:02:03.380 align:middle line:90% 00:02:03.380 --> 00:02:05.090 align:middle line:90% The miscarriage, a silent film. 00:02:05.090 --> 00:02:06.920 align:middle line:90% Exterior, 4:30 AM. 00:02:06.920 --> 00:02:08.150 align:middle line:90% A river, medium shot. 00:02:08.150 --> 00:02:10.759 align:middle line:84% Baby and a hamper bulrushes down a red river 00:02:10.759 --> 00:02:11.960 align:middle line:90% toward frame's edge. 00:02:11.960 --> 00:02:15.020 align:middle line:84% Effects note-- use wanted sheets in hamper for baby. 00:02:15.020 --> 00:02:17.330 align:middle line:84% Production note-- to be shot in black and white. 00:02:17.330 --> 00:02:20.390 align:middle line:84% Red should be described in title card reading, title 00:02:20.390 --> 00:02:22.310 align:middle line:90% card, Herrell on the Red river! 00:02:22.310 --> 00:02:24.890 align:middle line:84% Wide shot-- a car races along the riverside. 00:02:24.890 --> 00:02:26.030 align:middle line:90% Interior-- car. 00:02:26.030 --> 00:02:27.980 align:middle line:84% Medium shot-- a husband and wife. 00:02:27.980 --> 00:02:30.470 align:middle line:84% Husband drives, speeding, chasing baby. 00:02:30.470 --> 00:02:31.580 align:middle line:90% Wife concentrates. 00:02:31.580 --> 00:02:34.520 align:middle line:84% Eyes clenched, shut in prayer, hands on midsection. 00:02:34.520 --> 00:02:36.980 align:middle line:84% Title car-- will they make it in time? 00:02:36.980 --> 00:02:41.270 align:middle line:90% Exterior, 4:35 AM, a waterfall. 00:02:41.270 --> 00:02:43.540 align:middle line:84% The miscarriage-- an approved list 00:02:43.540 --> 00:02:47.490 align:middle line:84% of 10 euphemisms for use in onstage banter. 00:02:47.490 --> 00:02:50.670 align:middle line:90% One-- foxes rob the coop. 00:02:50.670 --> 00:02:53.580 align:middle line:90% Two-- God mark your draft. 00:02:53.580 --> 00:02:56.190 align:middle line:90% Three-- cherries dam the flume. 00:02:56.190 --> 00:02:58.860 align:middle line:90% Four-- a kite crashed in April. 00:02:58.860 --> 00:03:01.260 align:middle line:84% Five-- an apple fell in the nest. 00:03:01.260 --> 00:03:03.810 align:middle line:84% Six-- red ants raided the sugar bowl. 00:03:03.810 --> 00:03:07.170 align:middle line:84% Seven-- radio flyer, but we just saw the heartbeat hedge. 00:03:07.170 --> 00:03:08.970 align:middle line:84% Eight-- four alarm three days ago 00:03:08.970 --> 00:03:10.290 align:middle line:90% and next week, doll factory. 00:03:10.290 --> 00:03:11.670 align:middle line:90% Nine-- it's Father's Day. 00:03:11.670 --> 00:03:13.110 align:middle line:90% Roses instead of cabbage. 00:03:13.110 --> 00:03:15.780 align:middle line:90% 10-- seminal fled the field. 00:03:15.780 --> 00:03:19.290 align:middle line:84% The miscarriage-- a minstrel show. 00:03:19.290 --> 00:03:22.770 align:middle line:84% The interlocutor shuffled off stage to riotous applause 00:03:22.770 --> 00:03:26.070 align:middle line:84% before the resplendent curtain, deep scarlet velvet, 00:03:26.070 --> 00:03:30.360 align:middle line:84% zip coon entered in a mismatched and outlandishly patch pajamas. 00:03:30.360 --> 00:03:32.730 align:middle line:84% The delighted audience had but an instant 00:03:32.730 --> 00:03:35.670 align:middle line:84% to reckon his zany appearance before [INAUDIBLE] 00:03:35.670 --> 00:03:37.740 align:middle line:84% in a nightgown with a watermelon slice 00:03:37.740 --> 00:03:39.570 align:middle line:84% painted where her privates would go 00:03:39.570 --> 00:03:42.450 align:middle line:84% hobbled in like a woman desperate to make water. 00:03:42.450 --> 00:03:45.690 align:middle line:84% They face the gasping assembled house, close their eyes 00:03:45.690 --> 00:03:48.000 align:middle line:90% and started into grand snoring. 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:51.390 align:middle line:84% With the crowd quieted, topsy, as damn near damn, 00:03:51.390 --> 00:03:54.570 align:middle line:84% woke first, already shaking her gloved fist 00:03:54.570 --> 00:03:56.550 align:middle line:90% at zip as father Toby. 00:03:56.550 --> 00:03:58.900 align:middle line:90% [SNORES] 00:03:58.900 --> 00:04:02.630 align:middle line:90% 00:04:02.630 --> 00:04:03.130 align:middle line:90% Husband! 00:04:03.130 --> 00:04:04.890 align:middle line:84% Peel your peepers [? of they ?] sandgrits 00:04:04.890 --> 00:04:06.825 align:middle line:84% intermediately, says me your beloved. 00:04:06.825 --> 00:04:09.390 align:middle line:84% I hear it's not a cockcrow but a crowcrow. 00:04:09.390 --> 00:04:11.760 align:middle line:84% Mutant done broke, not water, but coffee. 00:04:11.760 --> 00:04:14.670 align:middle line:84% Listen, my darkling, ain't I tell you not to consummeat 00:04:14.670 --> 00:04:16.269 align:middle line:90% melon in our pallet? 00:04:16.269 --> 00:04:16.769 align:middle line:90% Consummeat? 00:04:16.769 --> 00:04:18.600 align:middle line:90% Present tense of consummate. 00:04:18.600 --> 00:04:22.050 align:middle line:84% Ah, but smudgy poo, iffin I makes to eat Sweet Georgia 00:04:22.050 --> 00:04:25.950 align:middle line:84% ham, antatomically speaking, musn't my palate give him some? 00:04:25.950 --> 00:04:27.720 align:middle line:84% Look at here, smoke screen, that shit 00:04:27.720 --> 00:04:30.110 align:middle line:84% I'm talking about just watermelon juice spilt 00:04:30.110 --> 00:04:32.300 align:middle line:90% in between and between my gams. 00:04:32.300 --> 00:04:33.485 align:middle line:90% Sheets pinked to glory. 00:04:33.485 --> 00:04:34.610 align:middle line:90% Dinner, I ain't red-handed. 00:04:34.610 --> 00:04:35.920 align:middle line:90% You's red gamded. 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:37.930 align:middle line:84% T'ain't melonade if I ain't kneeled in it. 00:04:37.930 --> 00:04:40.912 align:middle line:84% Besides, I ain't seen no seeds down yonder. 00:04:40.912 --> 00:04:43.900 align:middle line:84% Hog, hog slop, and hog slop head,too. 00:04:43.900 --> 00:04:45.950 align:middle line:84% They makes Georgia ham seedless now. 00:04:45.950 --> 00:04:47.360 align:middle line:90% The stain is the thing. 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:49.310 align:middle line:84% Seedless, then alas, I guess Ise undoed. 00:04:49.310 --> 00:04:51.520 align:middle line:84% And Ise undid my cast iron skillet. 00:04:51.520 --> 00:04:53.050 align:middle line:84% They cake walked off into darkness. 00:04:53.050 --> 00:04:55.660 align:middle line:84% In the wings can be heard the sound of bones. 00:04:55.660 --> 00:04:57.280 align:middle line:90% The miscarriage-- a bar joke. 00:04:57.280 --> 00:04:59.140 align:middle line:90% Pear pals walk into a bar. 00:04:59.140 --> 00:05:02.890 align:middle line:84% The first says, yo, pal, why are you so down? 00:05:02.890 --> 00:05:07.090 align:middle line:84% The second replies, my wife had a miscarriage. 00:05:07.090 --> 00:05:10.150 align:middle line:84% First guy says, I know exactly how you feel. 00:05:10.150 --> 00:05:12.310 align:middle line:84% I just had my girl get an abortion. 00:05:12.310 --> 00:05:15.760 align:middle line:84% Before the second guy can speak, a Reverend, a rabbi, 00:05:15.760 --> 00:05:18.260 align:middle line:84% and priest barge in, hollering, get the fuck out 00:05:18.260 --> 00:05:21.610 align:middle line:90% of our junk, assholes! 00:05:21.610 --> 00:05:24.660 align:middle line:90% [LAUGHTER]