The Reading Series is the Poetry Center's longest
running program.
As some of you know, the Poetry Center was founded in 1960
and the Reading Series began 1963.
In the spring, Holly Schaffer of UA Press and editor Allison
asked the Poetry Center if we would
help them celebrate the publication of Sing:
Poetry From the Indigenous Americas.
And of course, our answer was, yes.
Because as soon as we saw the book,
we knew that it was a historic publication in poetry.
We're very proud of UA press, of all the contributors
to the anthology, and especially we
salute the work of editor Allison Hedge Coke, who I'm now
very happy to introduce.
Allison's books include: Dog Road Woman, Off-Season City
Pipe, Rock, Ghost, Willow, Deer, Blood Run,
and eight edited volumes.
Her performances include: international poetry festivals
in Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, Jordan, and Canada.
She came up working horses and tobacco
and in commercial fishing, construction, and factories.
She mentors incarcerated youth and working class writers
and is Associate Professor of Poetry
and Writing at the University of Nebraska, Kearney.
Please welcome the editor of Sing, Allison Hedge Coke.
[APPLAUSE]