WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.990 align:middle line:90%


00:00:02.990 --> 00:00:04.880 align:middle line:90%
Well, thanks Frances.

00:00:04.880 --> 00:00:07.100 align:middle line:84%
You know I've only
been here for a week,

00:00:07.100 --> 00:00:08.720 align:middle line:84%
and it's really
strange I already have

00:00:08.720 --> 00:00:11.150 align:middle line:90%
so many people I need to thank.

00:00:11.150 --> 00:00:15.380 align:middle line:84%
First off, Frances and Gail and
Renee, Bonnie Jean and Rodney,

00:00:15.380 --> 00:00:19.042 align:middle line:84%
Christine, Annie, Maureen,
everybody at the Poetry Center,

00:00:19.042 --> 00:00:21.500 align:middle line:84%
I'm going to be thinking about
this place forever, I think.

00:00:21.500 --> 00:00:23.390 align:middle line:84%
And I can't wait to
come down and see it

00:00:23.390 --> 00:00:26.540 align:middle line:90%
when it's in its new location.

00:00:26.540 --> 00:00:29.535 align:middle line:84%
I want to thank Kristen and Amy
at Casa Libre, another place

00:00:29.535 --> 00:00:31.160 align:middle line:84%
I'm going to be
thinking about forever,

00:00:31.160 --> 00:00:34.610 align:middle line:84%
and be glad to see again
before too long, I hope.

00:00:34.610 --> 00:00:38.480 align:middle line:84%
They've been excellent
hosts and protectors.

00:00:38.480 --> 00:00:40.940 align:middle line:84%
I want to thank Michael
and Kristi for immediately

00:00:40.940 --> 00:00:43.220 align:middle line:90%
making me feel welcome here.

00:00:43.220 --> 00:00:47.952 align:middle line:84%
And their generosity continues
even now, because they're here

00:00:47.952 --> 00:00:49.160 align:middle line:90%
and they're leaving tomorrow.

00:00:49.160 --> 00:00:51.035 align:middle line:84%
And they probably have
a lot of things to do.

00:00:51.035 --> 00:00:53.040 align:middle line:90%
So thanks for coming.

00:00:53.040 --> 00:00:55.640 align:middle line:84%
I want to thank Boyer and
Morgan for selecting me

00:00:55.640 --> 00:00:56.330 align:middle line:90%
for this honor.

00:00:56.330 --> 00:00:58.610 align:middle line:90%
And it really is an honor.

00:00:58.610 --> 00:01:03.320 align:middle line:84%
And I want to thank all
you guys for showing up.

00:01:03.320 --> 00:01:07.250 align:middle line:84%
I started my day last
Thursday, a week ago,

00:01:07.250 --> 00:01:10.030 align:middle line:84%
in Seattle with these
intense stomach pains,

00:01:10.030 --> 00:01:11.780 align:middle line:84%
and I was afraid maybe
I had appendicitis.

00:01:11.780 --> 00:01:13.910 align:middle line:84%
And I was leaving at
about three hours.

00:01:13.910 --> 00:01:15.377 align:middle line:90%
And I just thought, "Oh my--".

00:01:15.377 --> 00:01:17.210 align:middle line:84%
I'm somebody who just
is kind of a Christian

00:01:17.210 --> 00:01:19.742 align:middle line:84%
Scientist by temperament,
I never go to the doctor.

00:01:19.742 --> 00:01:21.200 align:middle line:84%
And I'm at the
doctor just thinking

00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:24.270 align:middle line:84%
that-- just bemoaning
my terrible fortune.

00:01:24.270 --> 00:01:29.650 align:middle line:84%
And then, later that day,
many hours, many miles later,

00:01:29.650 --> 00:01:33.770 align:middle line:84%
I'm sitting over at Casa
Libre drinking chilled wine

00:01:33.770 --> 00:01:36.810 align:middle line:84%
in a hot tub and
feeling just fine.

00:01:36.810 --> 00:01:42.170 align:middle line:84%
So my fortunes clearly
improved by traveling south.

00:01:42.170 --> 00:01:45.920 align:middle line:84%
And they've meant that
good luck has held.

00:01:45.920 --> 00:01:48.343 align:middle line:84%
I'm going to start with a
poem I wrote a few days ago.

00:01:48.343 --> 00:01:50.510 align:middle line:84%
And that's usually a really
unpromising introduction

00:01:50.510 --> 00:01:53.300 align:middle line:90%
to a poem, but bear with me.

00:01:53.300 --> 00:01:56.090 align:middle line:84%
In my office at
Casa Libre, there's

00:01:56.090 --> 00:01:59.450 align:middle line:84%
a poster with all these
kind of spires and sort

00:01:59.450 --> 00:02:00.950 align:middle line:90%
of narrowed eyes.

00:02:00.950 --> 00:02:05.450 align:middle line:84%
And at the top, it
says "F. Kafka, Praha".

00:02:05.450 --> 00:02:11.510 align:middle line:84%
And I spent about a half a
summer in Prague or Praha

00:02:11.510 --> 00:02:12.600 align:middle line:90%
a couple of years ago.

00:02:12.600 --> 00:02:14.780 align:middle line:84%
And so this poster
got me thinking.

00:02:14.780 --> 00:02:18.530 align:middle line:84%
This poem is called
"Sunlight Off the Vltava".

00:02:18.530 --> 00:02:20.660 align:middle line:90%
"In Czech, it's Praha.

00:02:20.660 --> 00:02:22.700 align:middle line:90%
Sometimes Prahaha.

00:02:22.700 --> 00:02:27.230 align:middle line:84%
Kafka's city, but this isn't one
of those gaga salutes to Kafka.

00:02:27.230 --> 00:02:29.720 align:middle line:90%
Tycho Brahe, a Dane by birth.

00:02:29.720 --> 00:02:31.250 align:middle line:90%
He had a copper nose.

00:02:31.250 --> 00:02:34.610 align:middle line:84%
Or Dvorak, as much
as I like Dvorak.

00:02:34.610 --> 00:02:36.890 align:middle line:84%
I'm thinking of a
song that goes--

00:02:36.890 --> 00:02:38.900 align:middle line:90%
it goes 'da dum da dum da dum'.

00:02:38.900 --> 00:02:40.730 align:middle line:90%
I don't put stock in memory.

00:02:40.730 --> 00:02:43.430 align:middle line:84%
But Chloe used to hum
it to me sweet-like.

00:02:43.430 --> 00:02:45.200 align:middle line:84%
And then we'd lock
the door, which

00:02:45.200 --> 00:02:48.410 align:middle line:84%
truth told is what right
now I'm thinking of.

00:02:48.410 --> 00:02:51.900 align:middle line:84%
We didn't expect or
really want it to last.

00:02:51.900 --> 00:02:53.900 align:middle line:84%
And now that all
this time has passed,

00:02:53.900 --> 00:02:56.060 align:middle line:90%
it seems lovelier still.

00:02:56.060 --> 00:02:58.550 align:middle line:90%
Not silly or put aside.

00:02:58.550 --> 00:03:01.720 align:middle line:90%
Not undone by hyperbole."

00:03:01.720 --> 00:03:03.000 align:middle line:90%