WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.640 align:middle line:84% This event tonight is really two events. 00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:06.450 align:middle line:84% It's a reading by the poets Eduardo Corral and Natalie 00:00:06.450 --> 00:00:09.030 align:middle line:84% Diaz, and it's also the inauguration 00:00:09.030 --> 00:00:10.590 align:middle line:90% of an annual reading-- 00:00:10.590 --> 00:00:13.467 align:middle line:84% the Morgan Lucas Schuldt Memorial Reading. 00:00:13.467 --> 00:00:15.550 align:middle line:84% And I'll talk a little bit about that in a second. 00:00:15.550 --> 00:00:19.170 align:middle line:84% But before I get started, many of Cybele Knowles 00:00:19.170 --> 00:00:19.890 align:middle line:90% who's up here. 00:00:19.890 --> 00:00:21.720 align:middle line:84% Cybele, will you raise your hand? 00:00:21.720 --> 00:00:24.420 align:middle line:84% If you see her later afterwards, wink at her 00:00:24.420 --> 00:00:28.290 align:middle line:84% because she organizes everything that happens here. 00:00:28.290 --> 00:00:29.340 align:middle line:90% And be very excited. 00:00:29.340 --> 00:00:31.410 align:middle line:90% She does an amazing work. 00:00:31.410 --> 00:00:33.420 align:middle line:84% A few words about this inauguration-- 00:00:33.420 --> 00:00:35.520 align:middle line:84% for a number of years now, the Poetry Center 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:39.420 align:middle line:84% has presented an annual reading of emerging and/or innovative 00:00:39.420 --> 00:00:40.470 align:middle line:90% poets. 00:00:40.470 --> 00:00:42.330 align:middle line:84% Recently, we've been calling this The Next 00:00:42.330 --> 00:00:43.740 align:middle line:90% Word in Poetry Reading. 00:00:43.740 --> 00:00:45.690 align:middle line:84% You can search on our readings archive 00:00:45.690 --> 00:00:47.520 align:middle line:84% and see who has been here in the past. 00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:50.790 align:middle line:84% We've featured such writers, and this is just a short list-- 00:00:50.790 --> 00:00:55.320 align:middle line:84% Kazim Ali, Dan Beachy-Quick, Olena Davis, Camille Dungy, 00:00:55.320 --> 00:01:00.300 align:middle line:84% Matthea Harvey, Lauryn Goodman, Suji Kwock Kim, Ben Lerner, 00:01:00.300 --> 00:01:04.019 align:middle line:84% Joyelle McSweeney, Rusty Morrison, Srikanth Reddy, 00:01:04.019 --> 00:01:07.170 align:middle line:84% Zachary Schomburg, Brandon Shimoda, Richard Siken, 00:01:07.170 --> 00:01:07.830 align:middle line:90% Catherine Wing. 00:01:07.830 --> 00:01:10.260 align:middle line:84% The list goes on-- a list of very exciting poets. 00:01:10.260 --> 00:01:14.040 align:middle line:84% You can find each of these readings also archived on Voca 00:01:14.040 --> 00:01:16.650 align:middle line:84% or online out of audio visual archive 00:01:16.650 --> 00:01:18.600 align:middle line:90% that's hosted on our website. 00:01:18.600 --> 00:01:20.430 align:middle line:84% Starting with tonight, though, we're 00:01:20.430 --> 00:01:22.620 align:middle line:84% renaming this series and this event. 00:01:22.620 --> 00:01:25.560 align:middle line:84% And it will be called the Morgan Lucas Schuldt Memorial 00:01:25.560 --> 00:01:27.810 align:middle line:90% Reading going forward. 00:01:27.810 --> 00:01:29.850 align:middle line:84% A generous gift from Boyer Rickel, 00:01:29.850 --> 00:01:32.130 align:middle line:84% one of our Walt Whitman's circle members, 00:01:32.130 --> 00:01:35.490 align:middle line:84% made in Morgan's memory to the Poetry Center's programs 00:01:35.490 --> 00:01:40.440 align:middle line:84% endowment has enabled us to name this event after Morgan. 00:01:40.440 --> 00:01:42.090 align:middle line:84% The Poetry Center is honored to be 00:01:42.090 --> 00:01:47.040 align:middle line:84% a part of this truly fitting tribute to Morgan's life, 00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:49.680 align:middle line:90% to Morgan's spirit. 00:01:49.680 --> 00:01:52.830 align:middle line:84% A native of Toms River, New Jersey, Morgan Lucas Schuldt 00:01:52.830 --> 00:01:55.800 align:middle line:84% came to Tucson to earn his MFA in poetry 00:01:55.800 --> 00:01:57.270 align:middle line:90% at the University of Arizona. 00:01:57.270 --> 00:02:00.480 align:middle line:84% By the time of his early death from complications 00:02:00.480 --> 00:02:02.760 align:middle line:84% from cystic fibrosis, he had become 00:02:02.760 --> 00:02:06.270 align:middle line:84% a published poet and a publisher of poetry himself. 00:02:06.270 --> 00:02:07.680 align:middle line:90% He was dedicated. 00:02:07.680 --> 00:02:09.539 align:middle line:90% He was exceptionally generous. 00:02:09.539 --> 00:02:12.450 align:middle line:84% He was charismatic, and he was talented. 00:02:12.450 --> 00:02:15.570 align:middle line:84% He was greatly loved, and he is deeply missed. 00:02:15.570 --> 00:02:18.120 align:middle line:84% The Poetry Center is exceptionally proud 00:02:18.120 --> 00:02:21.000 align:middle line:84% that our annual reading specifically celebrating 00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:24.090 align:middle line:84% the vigor and newness in poetry is now 00:02:24.090 --> 00:02:27.640 align:middle line:90% associated in Morgan's name. 00:02:27.640 --> 00:02:30.630 align:middle line:84% First, Eduardo Corral will read for about 20 minutes and then 00:02:30.630 --> 00:02:32.787 align:middle line:90% Natalie Diaz afterwards. 00:02:32.787 --> 00:02:34.620 align:middle line:84% And then we'll follow both of their readings 00:02:34.620 --> 00:02:37.560 align:middle line:84% with a Q&A. After the reading, there will also be a book 00:02:37.560 --> 00:02:40.800 align:middle line:84% signing, and so I encourage you to grab those books, find them, 00:02:40.800 --> 00:02:42.180 align:middle line:90% and then cake. 00:02:42.180 --> 00:02:44.820 align:middle line:84% And, now, I will just quickly introduce the introducer, 00:02:44.820 --> 00:02:47.160 align:middle line:90% who's Lucas Wildner. 00:02:47.160 --> 00:02:49.800 align:middle line:84% Lucas Wildner is a poet in the MFA program at the University 00:02:49.800 --> 00:02:52.830 align:middle line:84% of Arizona, and teaches delightfully awesome students 00:02:52.830 --> 00:02:54.930 align:middle line:90% at University High as well. 00:02:54.930 --> 00:02:56.400 align:middle line:90% He does double duty. 00:02:56.400 --> 00:02:58.080 align:middle line:84% Of his publications, he noted to us 00:02:58.080 --> 00:03:01.080 align:middle line:84% the inclusion of two of his poems in a recent anthology 00:03:01.080 --> 00:03:02.820 align:middle line:90% by Sibling Rivalry Press-- 00:03:02.820 --> 00:03:04.920 align:middle line:90% This Assignment is so Gay-- 00:03:04.920 --> 00:03:08.070 align:middle line:84% LGBTIQ Poets on the art of Teaching. 00:03:08.070 --> 00:03:11.160 align:middle line:84% Lucas is also a Poetry Center volunteer of long standing, 00:03:11.160 --> 00:03:12.900 align:middle line:84% and, most recently, he's volunteered 00:03:12.900 --> 00:03:15.810 align:middle line:84% to lead the shop talk discussion of poetry 00:03:15.810 --> 00:03:17.400 align:middle line:84% of Eduardo and Natalie that happened 00:03:17.400 --> 00:03:19.260 align:middle line:90% on Tuesday before this event. 00:03:19.260 --> 00:03:23.060 align:middle line:84% Please help me welcome Lucas Wildner.