WEBVTT

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I do want to extend my
appreciation to the Poetry

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Center for inviting me to
be a part of the Tucson Book

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Festival.

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So it's been a
very exciting time,

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these past couple of days.

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This afternoon, I'm
reading primarily-- well,

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I'm only reading from my new
collection that just came out

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this past fall.

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This piece that I'm going to
read next is only in English,

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and it's in three parts.

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And as we move towards
the summer already,

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this piece, though,
reflects on our winter,

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which is basically a
little bit of January,

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and that's about it.

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But even though it's
a very short period,

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those of us who
are from this area

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appreciate that
cold and the wetness

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and the snow that we
have during that time.

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At least there's
snow on the mountains

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if we're lucky enough, because
they're all important for us

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in order to make it
through the summer.

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So this is about those
types of visions and events

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during the cold and wet part
of this part of Arizona,

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and particularly Tucson.

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You'll recognize some of
the reference places here.

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Some are real, and
some are not real.

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The third part is a little event
that I remember from childhood,

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and my father and my
sisters are included

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in that little third part.

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And this is the
title poem, actually,

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to the whole collection.

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It's called "The Place
Where Clouds Are Formed."

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"Every day, it is the same.

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He comes home.

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He tells her about it.

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As he speaks, his breath
condenses in front of his face.

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She goes about her business.

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Every now and then,
she looks over.

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She doesn't hear his voice.

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She sees the soft fog that
continues to form a halo.

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She knows he is still
talking about that place.

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He never tires of
it like she does.

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Only on summer days,
when the air is hot

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and moisture is still
a long time in coming,

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she asks him to tell
her about that place.

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She sits facing him, waiting for
the first vocalics, non-stops,

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the push of air from his lips.

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He tells her of the place
where clouds are formed.

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The cool dampness of
his voice is rich.

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Even on a dry June day,
her face beads with wetness

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as he talks directly
to her, each

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aspirated sound a gentle
burst of coolness.

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'Tell me again, tell
me again,' she teases.

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If he knew she
only wanted relief

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from the heat and not the
story, he would stop talking.

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He begins, 'The first time I
saw the place where clouds are

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formed was from the
window of a train.'

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Another time was in a mirage
in the heat outside Tucson.

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Once, he thought he saw it
in the dry light of stars.

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The place he remembers
best was when

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he saw it in the eyes
of a woman he spoke to.

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When he first noticed it, she
hid it by lowering her gaze.

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Soon, she let him look freely.

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There were times when
she opened her eyes wide,

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allowing an unobscured view.

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Sometimes, he saw her
eyes smolder with dryness

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on a summer day.

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Other times, she was
rich with moisture.

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Clouds came in succession,
the earth's shadows muted.

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'You know the 40
days and 40 nights?

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I was there.

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I'll be there when it happens
again,' she said with a slight

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smile.

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Like a child, he rushed
to look into her eyes

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at every opportunity.

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If he could, he would
hang on her eye socket,

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peering inside, marveling
at her displays."

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Part two.

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"An unusually cold December
day, right around Christmas.

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Clouds, mist find solace in the
canyons of the Santa Catalina

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Mountains, white moisture
quietly moving amid the cactus.

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Truly, clouds, wind, and
rain are the few elements

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that can touch the
saguaro from head

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to foot, oblivious
of spines, needles.

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Rubbery hide surrounded,
soothed by elements.

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Contact triggered stored
heat of remembered summers.

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Moisture beads roll
forward, unstoppable.

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From the city below, we see
mist rising, mist rising."

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Part three.

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"We sit close in the
cab of the truck.

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The weather is cold,
wet outside, too messy

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to stand in, waiting
for the school bus.

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My father's truck
is warm inside,

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having been at
work since 4:00 AM.

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The sound of the
engine is soothing,

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heater working to capacity.

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Inside the cab, we are silent.

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We don't need language.

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We listen to the rhythm--

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to the regular
hum of the engine,

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rhythm of the windshield
wipers, soft rain on the hood,

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aware of the cold
air surrounding

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our temporary shelter.

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We look out over the fields
where fog clings to the soil.

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Every now and then, with
the back of his gloved hand,

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he wipes the windshield.

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'Is it coming yet?'

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The three of us sit
quietly, breathing clouds.

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Clouds condense as they contact
the coolness of the windows.

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My father appears to breathe
air with temperature in balance.

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He forms no clouds.

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He watches us as we continue
to breathe soft, gray mist,

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waiting for the school bus."

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