WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.160 align:middle line:90% 00:00:01.160 --> 00:00:04.430 align:middle line:84% Can you talk a little bit about what draws you to the sonnet, 00:00:04.430 --> 00:00:07.880 align:middle line:84% and what you're doing with the-- not the form, really, 00:00:07.880 --> 00:00:10.490 align:middle line:84% but discussing it in your poetry? 00:00:10.490 --> 00:00:13.140 align:middle line:90% 00:00:13.140 --> 00:00:17.400 align:middle line:84% Well, writing sonnets, as you may know, is addictive. 00:00:17.400 --> 00:00:21.060 align:middle line:90% So be warned. 00:00:21.060 --> 00:00:25.260 align:middle line:84% I wrote a book of sonnets called Daily Sonnet several years ago, 00:00:25.260 --> 00:00:28.020 align:middle line:84% and it kind of happens by accident. 00:00:28.020 --> 00:00:34.030 align:middle line:84% If you start writing sonnets, it just keeps happening. 00:00:34.030 --> 00:00:37.230 align:middle line:84% I just-- I love the form because it's so little, 00:00:37.230 --> 00:00:40.560 align:middle line:84% and a lot of my work is dense and prosey, 00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:44.880 align:middle line:84% and it's just so hard to edit and finish and read, 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:47.850 align:middle line:84% and it's always a relief and fun writing sonnets, 00:00:47.850 --> 00:00:50.130 align:middle line:84% and I love reading sonnets, and there's 00:00:50.130 --> 00:00:52.360 align:middle line:90% so many great models out there. 00:00:52.360 --> 00:00:57.420 align:middle line:90% So it's just a fun form. 00:00:57.420 --> 00:00:58.320 align:middle line:90% I can't help it. 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:02.340 align:middle line:90% 00:01:02.340 --> 00:01:04.281 align:middle line:90% Oh great. 00:01:04.281 --> 00:01:06.030 align:middle line:90% Hi. 00:01:06.030 --> 00:01:08.110 align:middle line:84% Thank you, that was so beautiful. 00:01:08.110 --> 00:01:11.580 align:middle line:90% I'm kind of at a loss of words. 00:01:11.580 --> 00:01:15.720 align:middle line:84% But, I'm curious to know, not necessarily the name 00:01:15.720 --> 00:01:17.595 align:middle line:90% of a contemporary artist. 00:01:17.595 --> 00:01:21.400 align:middle line:90% 00:01:21.400 --> 00:01:24.250 align:middle line:84% This is all artists in general that you've been 00:01:24.250 --> 00:01:27.630 align:middle line:90% particularly influenced by. 00:01:27.630 --> 00:01:29.590 align:middle line:84% Do you mean writer or some other? 00:01:29.590 --> 00:01:33.520 align:middle line:84% Well, it could be writer or a visual artist. 00:01:33.520 --> 00:01:36.850 align:middle line:90% That's my interest, I guess. 00:01:36.850 --> 00:01:38.900 align:middle line:90% Well, yeah, writer. 00:01:38.900 --> 00:01:39.400 align:middle line:90% Writer. 00:01:39.400 --> 00:01:42.700 align:middle line:84% I was going to say digital artists because these books. 00:01:42.700 --> 00:01:45.890 align:middle line:90% 00:01:45.890 --> 00:01:49.330 align:middle line:84% This book has a painting by the artist Noah Saterstrom 00:01:49.330 --> 00:01:52.060 align:middle line:84% who also used to live in Tucson and is a dear friend 00:01:52.060 --> 00:01:56.500 align:middle line:84% and collaborator, so he's one artist that really inspires me. 00:01:56.500 --> 00:01:59.980 align:middle line:84% And this book has art by an artist named 00:01:59.980 --> 00:02:02.710 align:middle line:84% Brent Wahl who's in Philadelphia who is 00:02:02.710 --> 00:02:04.700 align:middle line:90% a new friend and collaborator. 00:02:04.700 --> 00:02:10.750 align:middle line:84% So I guess all of the arts have always been important to me. 00:02:10.750 --> 00:02:13.650 align:middle line:90% 00:02:13.650 --> 00:02:14.750 align:middle line:90% There's so many writers. 00:02:14.750 --> 00:02:17.750 align:middle line:90% I can't even begin to tell you. 00:02:17.750 --> 00:02:21.542 align:middle line:84% They're all-- some of them are right here in the room. 00:02:21.542 --> 00:02:30.010 align:middle line:90% 00:02:30.010 --> 00:02:32.527 align:middle line:84% I was reading your piece about Pina Bausch today, 00:02:32.527 --> 00:02:34.110 align:middle line:84% and I wondered if you could just speak 00:02:34.110 --> 00:02:36.780 align:middle line:84% a little bit about the body or the role 00:02:36.780 --> 00:02:41.250 align:middle line:84% of the body in your work as a dancer, or dance in general 00:02:41.250 --> 00:02:43.030 align:middle line:90% in your work. 00:02:43.030 --> 00:02:47.100 align:middle line:84% I think it would be better if watch the Pina Bausch piece, 00:02:47.100 --> 00:02:48.960 align:middle line:90% because she already did it. 00:02:48.960 --> 00:02:55.900 align:middle line:90% 00:02:55.900 --> 00:02:56.400 align:middle line:90% Wait. 00:02:56.400 --> 00:02:57.750 align:middle line:90% What was the question? 00:02:57.750 --> 00:03:00.240 align:middle line:84% Say something about dance, say something about? 00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:01.800 align:middle line:90% The body, control of the body. 00:03:01.800 --> 00:03:02.370 align:middle line:90% The body. 00:03:02.370 --> 00:03:04.920 align:middle line:84% I mean, I don't feel like writing 00:03:04.920 --> 00:03:07.610 align:middle line:90% is separate from anything else. 00:03:07.610 --> 00:03:11.480 align:middle line:84% And so we live in our bodies, and that's-- it's a physical 00:03:11.480 --> 00:03:18.980 align:middle line:84% act of writing and having some kind of movement practice has 00:03:18.980 --> 00:03:20.550 align:middle line:90% always been important to me. 00:03:20.550 --> 00:03:27.820 align:middle line:84% And I love dance and especially Pina Bausch. 00:03:27.820 --> 00:03:30.200 align:middle line:84% Trisha Brown, and Merce Cunningham 00:03:30.200 --> 00:03:34.210 align:middle line:84% and also the model of collaboration 00:03:34.210 --> 00:03:37.018 align:middle line:84% exemplified by some of the Merce Cunningham. 00:03:37.018 --> 00:03:46.000 align:middle line:90% 00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:50.380 align:middle line:84% So odd question, but I was here that number of years 00:03:50.380 --> 00:03:53.140 align:middle line:84% ago when that conceptual gathering happened. 00:03:53.140 --> 00:03:57.490 align:middle line:84% And so you're talking about the body right now, 00:03:57.490 --> 00:04:01.810 align:middle line:84% and it just made me think about this currrent sort 00:04:01.810 --> 00:04:04.630 align:middle line:84% of controversies associated with the body pretending 00:04:04.630 --> 00:04:08.260 align:middle line:84% that you're a Chinese writer in order to get published. 00:04:08.260 --> 00:04:13.990 align:middle line:84% And sort of the race politics and the female politics 00:04:13.990 --> 00:04:16.720 align:middle line:84% and the body, and that particular moment 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:17.860 align:middle line:90% where that body-- 00:04:17.860 --> 00:04:20.560 align:middle line:84% the body itself, the identity of the bodies 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:22.750 align:middle line:90% were being erased constantly. 00:04:22.750 --> 00:04:26.800 align:middle line:84% And you raise your hand, thank God, and so just 00:04:26.800 --> 00:04:29.590 align:middle line:84% riff a little bit about racial identity 00:04:29.590 --> 00:04:33.880 align:middle line:84% in the body, and your perception of all this current life, 00:04:33.880 --> 00:04:37.780 align:middle line:90% a little hullabaloo. 00:04:37.780 --> 00:04:41.360 align:middle line:84% OK, so the question is do you want me to riff on-- 00:04:41.360 --> 00:04:44.680 align:middle line:84% Yeah just [INAUDIBLE] have a cocktail. 00:04:44.680 --> 00:04:46.063 align:middle line:90% Really? 00:04:46.063 --> 00:04:47.980 align:middle line:84% I mean I feel like these questions have always 00:04:47.980 --> 00:04:51.400 align:middle line:84% been important for writers, and right now it's 00:04:51.400 --> 00:04:56.020 align:middle line:90% particularly important. 00:04:56.020 --> 00:05:01.060 align:middle line:84% I feel like it's particularly important right now to listen. 00:05:01.060 --> 00:05:05.410 align:middle line:84% For me to listen more than to say something. 00:05:05.410 --> 00:05:08.530 align:middle line:90% But to listen. 00:05:08.530 --> 00:05:15.640 align:middle line:84% And to try to think about how we contribute 00:05:15.640 --> 00:05:22.210 align:middle line:84% to a conversation or an active practice that 00:05:22.210 --> 00:05:27.980 align:middle line:84% is really cognizant of listening to what other people have 00:05:27.980 --> 00:05:28.480 align:middle line:90% to say. 00:05:28.480 --> 00:05:32.230 align:middle line:90% 00:05:32.230 --> 00:05:38.950 align:middle line:84% And then just try to be hopeful about the future. 00:05:38.950 --> 00:05:41.850 align:middle line:84% I wish that there would be a lot more 00:05:41.850 --> 00:05:47.290 align:middle line:90% kindness in the conversation. 00:05:47.290 --> 00:05:52.750 align:middle line:84% I'm always looking for that to be happening. 00:05:52.750 --> 00:05:56.110 align:middle line:90% This will be our last one. 00:05:56.110 --> 00:06:01.510 align:middle line:84% You are so very gentle and soothing. 00:06:01.510 --> 00:06:06.295 align:middle line:84% Is there anything that ever gets you to express your anger? 00:06:06.295 --> 00:06:08.975 align:middle line:90% 00:06:08.975 --> 00:06:09.475 align:middle line:90% Of course. 00:06:09.475 --> 00:06:12.010 align:middle line:90% 00:06:12.010 --> 00:06:15.490 align:middle line:84% Do you have anything that you can read to us tonight 00:06:15.490 --> 00:06:18.550 align:middle line:90% that expresses that anger? 00:06:18.550 --> 00:06:23.890 align:middle line:84% You don't think this book [INAUDIBLE] I mean, 00:06:23.890 --> 00:06:31.140 align:middle line:84% maybe it's more-- maybe I choose [INAUDIBLE] over anger 00:06:31.140 --> 00:06:33.660 align:middle line:90% when I can. 00:06:33.660 --> 00:06:35.880 align:middle line:84% We have a very kind request for one more question. 00:06:35.880 --> 00:06:38.400 align:middle line:90% So this will be the last one. 00:06:38.400 --> 00:06:40.090 align:middle line:90% Thank you so much. 00:06:40.090 --> 00:06:44.670 align:middle line:84% This series is billed as Jewish writers of today, 00:06:44.670 --> 00:06:49.740 align:middle line:84% and I was wondering if any Jewish texts, 00:06:49.740 --> 00:06:53.730 align:middle line:84% or any Jewish teachings influenced 00:06:53.730 --> 00:06:55.570 align:middle line:90% the way that you think. 00:06:55.570 --> 00:06:58.290 align:middle line:84% And if you identify as the writer who 00:06:58.290 --> 00:07:01.110 align:middle line:84% happens to be Jewish, or as a Jewish writer, 00:07:01.110 --> 00:07:03.180 align:middle line:84% and if there's a distinction in that? 00:07:03.180 --> 00:07:08.280 align:middle line:84% And how your Judaism informs your writing. 00:07:08.280 --> 00:07:10.790 align:middle line:90% 00:07:10.790 --> 00:07:13.820 align:middle line:84% More and more, Judaism supports my writing. 00:07:13.820 --> 00:07:18.770 align:middle line:84% And I would say both to identify a writer who's 00:07:18.770 --> 00:07:22.160 align:middle line:90% Jewish and a Jewish writer. 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:23.600 align:middle line:90% I think they're both true. 00:07:23.600 --> 00:07:29.540 align:middle line:84% In terms of text, psalms especially 00:07:29.540 --> 00:07:31.570 align:middle line:90% have been important in-- 00:07:31.570 --> 00:07:33.890 align:middle line:84% and I was reading many translations 00:07:33.890 --> 00:07:36.860 align:middle line:84% of psalms when I was writing Lost Parkour Ps(alms) 00:07:36.860 --> 00:07:38.570 align:middle line:90% and I was also studying. 00:07:38.570 --> 00:07:42.980 align:middle line:84% I'm a student of Jewish meditation in Berkeley 00:07:42.980 --> 00:07:47.600 align:middle line:84% in a community called Chochmat Helev. 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:50.900 align:middle line:84% And there was a strong emphasis in the community 00:07:50.900 --> 00:07:54.230 align:middle line:90% on meditation, and also music. 00:07:54.230 --> 00:07:55.940 align:middle line:90% So singing. 00:07:55.940 --> 00:07:57.740 align:middle line:84% It's really-- I'm not a performer, 00:07:57.740 --> 00:08:02.930 align:middle line:84% but I don't like chanting, and I lead Jewish meditation 00:08:02.930 --> 00:08:06.800 align:middle line:90% in my community where I live. 00:08:06.800 --> 00:08:10.880 align:middle line:84% So there's no end to text, right? 00:08:10.880 --> 00:08:15.290 align:middle line:90% It's like, you got to be done. 00:08:15.290 --> 00:08:17.930 align:middle line:84% But lately I just keep coming back to the Psalm 27. 00:08:17.930 --> 00:08:22.580 align:middle line:90% 00:08:22.580 --> 00:08:24.950 align:middle line:90% What's that? 00:08:24.950 --> 00:08:27.020 align:middle line:90% The couple lines about-- 00:08:27.020 --> 00:08:29.450 align:middle line:84% it was that psalm I wrote about being in house, 00:08:29.450 --> 00:08:35.330 align:middle line:84% and it's basically a supplication saying only one 00:08:35.330 --> 00:08:39.200 align:middle line:84% thing I ask of you, that I may live in your house 00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:40.669 align:middle line:90% all the days of my life. 00:08:40.669 --> 00:08:43.200 align:middle line:90% 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:44.460 align:middle line:90% Laynie, thank you so much. 00:08:44.460 --> 00:08:47.000 align:middle line:84% And thank you all for coming out.