WEBVTT

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I don't know why I only picked,
like, three poems to read.

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Maybe I'll do more.

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This is the title poem.

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It's called "Allegiance."

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I guess I should say a
little bit about the book.

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I've said things
to classes today,

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which was really awesome.

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And we talked a little bit about
how some of these poems happen.

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But I grew up in Detroit, and
then I moved here to Arizona,

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and then I moved back as an
adult after moving around.

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But I had a really
rough relationship

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with Detroit when I grew up.

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And so moving back as an
adult was pretty crazy,

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because all of a
sudden I liked it,

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and I liked all the
people that I was meeting,

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and I was meeting
all these artists.

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Anyway, so some of these are
definitely located in Detroit,

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but like now--

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or then, because now I've
been gone for a while.

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Anyway-- but the East side.

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You know, like, Detroit is
divided between East side

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and West side.

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It's like one of those cities.

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I grew up on the East, because--

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OK, so the thing about
the East side of Detroit

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is that we're supposed to be
a little more, like, real,

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and gritty, and kind of raw.

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And like, we don't floss very
much, because we don't really

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have a lot to floss with.

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Like, we're kind of struggling.

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There's struggles more
so than the West side.

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You know, the West side has,
like, nice lawns and stuff.

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Anyway.

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OK.

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"Allegiance."

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An angel would have
to have crooked teeth.

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This would indicate dental
problems the family couldn't

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afford to fix.

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An angel would need to
be familiar with Johnson

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and Johnson and cocoa
butter, could explain

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the taste of powdered eggs.

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An angel would have to know
when to shut the fuck up.

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An angel would not
come drunk on vodka

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and would prefer gin filthy.

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It's hard to tell which angels
know how to make chitlins,

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but a good angel
wouldn't mind you asking.

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An East side angel would
know how to rig the gas

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meter without alerting DTE.

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An angel could pick a good
wine from the orange price tag

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stickers at the liquor store.

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A Detroit angel will know where
to get a monthly bus card.

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A city angel will know where the
river's current means jumping

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in is really suicide.

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A Detroit angel
could tell you where

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you can use a public computer.

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An archangel could tell you
where to find one all night.

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Any angel would
bring a new lexicon.

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A city angel would
mold a wall of ears,

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because there's too
much bullshit for two.

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A Detroit angel would take all
this loose religious fervor

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and build us a Jesus.

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An angel would
let you take cuts.

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An East side angel would let
you finish your sentence.

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Any angel would help
you pack your shit

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when it's time to move.

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An angel will give you
back your lost pen.

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An East side angel has a
spot for you on their porch.

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Most angels can fuck.

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Some angels wear metal.

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An East side angel knows that
girls like the taste of pillows

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even if we don't talk about it.

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A Detroit angel will give you
three feet of personal space

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at the bus stop.

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Any angel will call you
first after your date.

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An angel will often
call you an angel.

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Too many angels smoke.

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Some angels let their bodies go.

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An angel put his weight on
you, an angel limber in clouds.

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An angel will pick up
the coat you dropped.

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An East side angel
never asks you for cash.

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A Detroit angel has
never had to use a gun.

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A city angel's something
dark around the eyes.

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Shit talking,
lunar-mouthed angel.

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Crazy angel with a
chipped bone limp.

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Bipolar angel with a
snapped wing shoulder.

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Quiet angels sit
with you all night.

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An East side angel
can read your mind.

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Narcissist angel.

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Icarus angel.

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Lush angel picking its
hair up off the floor.

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Screeching vocalist, violet,
improv, dead horns, overdose.

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Angels addicted
to addict angels.

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Needs a punch to feel it angel.

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No one hears the angels scream.

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An angel takes in the
groceries, climbs the stairs.

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Bad knee angels.

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Angels subtle.

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No one gets the subtle angel.

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Angels wear nightgowns
stuck in their butts.

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Angel's gray hair
don't age them right.

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Angels black pool
around the eyes.

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Angels means suicide,
and it comes out shapes.

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Angels know how to
fight off the cops.

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Angels offer you coffee,
offer you coffee.

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Angels might have
taken back everything

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they're giving you now.

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Angels bloody lip.

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Angels bashed in heads.

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Angels never broke a
bone, don't need stitches,

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offer you coffee,
offer you coffee.

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East side angels don't ever
change, still look the same.

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East side angels, same address.

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East side angels on the
sideline in case the blows

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are too bloody.

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Detroit angels stay close
to home, close to mama.

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East side angels,
gaps in their teeth.

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Detroit angels wings
stuck in Detroit.

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Angels pace their
East side floor.

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Angels pack their
wings and luggage.

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Angels lock their halos
in emergency glass

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in case there's trouble.

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