Welcome, everyone to a really beautiful night here
in Tucson, Arizona.
I'm Diana Marie Delgado.
I'm the literary director of the Poetry Center,
and I'm beyond ecstatic today to be here
with you to celebrate the poetry of Mark Doty.
Let's hear it for Mark.
[APPLAUSE]
Mark is here as part of our annual Tom Sanders Memorial
Reading which features writers who are of importance
to the University of Arizona.
And Mark attended the University of Arizona,
and he also spent a lot of time here.
He and I were just sort of chatting earlier a little bit
about time that he had spent here locally
and how much Tucson has changed.
So he can definitely talk more about that.
But he really loves it here, and we're
so glad that he's made time to just
be with us to share his words.
Mark, I think, has over 15, 16 books.
He actually lost count.
He's like, give or take 10.
So it's just-- it's such an honor to be here tonight just
to celebrate him and all the other poets
that we bring throughout the year.
I'll be sharing more announcements
of what we have in store for the spring, of our classes,
our readers that will be coming.
And I just also want to remind you
that Mark will stick around after the reading
to sign books.
So don't miss that opportunity.
The Poetry Center has been impacted
by the losses of some key advocates to our center,
and I just want to note the passing of Helen Schaefer whose
life will be celebrated here at the Poetry Center
this Saturday from 3:00 to 5:00 in the breezeway.
Everyone is welcome.
It will also be live-streamed.
So if you can't make it, you don't
have to be here in person, but you could also
sort of celebrate their importance
to the Poetry Center.
There is also the recent passing of Richard Shelton.
And I just want to acknowledge that without advocates,
the Poetry Center wouldn't exist.
So I just want to acknowledge that.
I will be inviting now Alison Deming,
who will say a few words about Richard Shelton
and who will also be here to introduce Mark.
Thank you.
[APPLAUSE]