WEBVTT

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Thank y'all.

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I appreciate the noises.

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[CHUCKLING]

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So this next poem,
I was reading--

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I was teaching Rita Dove's
"Fifth Grade Autobiography."

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And I thought, oh, yeah, a
"Fourth Grade Autobiogr"--

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I don't know.

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But then I completely forgot
that that was the trajectory.

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[LAUGHING]

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And it was only later,
standing next to Rita Dove--

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I was like, oh, no.

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That's what happened.

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But the thing that
might be useful to know

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about this poem is the
riots I mentioned in here

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are the LA uprisings
in the early '90s.

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And I just bought salted
plums from the 7-Eleven.

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That was a childhood treat.

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Just pucker your whole face.

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I don't know if y'all
like salted plums,

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if you've had them.

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They're quite salty.

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"Fourth Grade Autobiography"--

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"We live in Los
Angeles, California.

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We have a front
yard and a backyard.

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My favorite things are
cartwheels, salted plums,

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and playing catch with my dad.

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I squeeze the grass and
dirt between my fingers.

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Eat my tongue white.

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He launches every
ball into orbit.

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Every ball drops like an
anvil, heavy and straight

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into my hands.

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I am afraid of riots and
falling and the dark.

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The sunset of flames
ringing our block, groceries

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and Asian-owned storefronts.

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No one to catch me.

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Midnight walks from
his room to mine.

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I believe in the devil.

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I have a sister and a brother
and a strong headlock.

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We have a dog named
Spunky, fawn and black.

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We have an olive tree.

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A black walnut tree.

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A fig tree.

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We lie in the grass and
wonder who writes in the sky.

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I lie in the grass and imagine
my name, a cloud drifting.

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Saturday dance parties.

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Everyone drunk on Pink
Panties, Screwdrivers,

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and Canadian Club.

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Dominoes and spades.

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Al Green and Mack 10.

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Sometimes mama dances with
the dog, Sometimes my dad

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dances with me.

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I am careful not to touch.

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He is careful to smile
with his whole face."

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