WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.260 align:middle line:90%
Hi, everybody.

00:00:01.260 --> 00:00:02.420 align:middle line:90%
Welcome.

00:00:02.420 --> 00:00:03.770 align:middle line:90%
How are you all?

00:00:03.770 --> 00:00:05.060 align:middle line:90%
Good?

00:00:05.060 --> 00:00:05.850 align:middle line:90%
Great.

00:00:05.850 --> 00:00:07.910 align:middle line:84%
Can you guys hear
me OK in the back?

00:00:07.910 --> 00:00:08.510 align:middle line:90%
Not too bad.

00:00:08.510 --> 00:00:10.220 align:middle line:90%
OK, very good.

00:00:10.220 --> 00:00:12.980 align:middle line:84%
Well done on your
Saturday choices.

00:00:12.980 --> 00:00:15.200 align:middle line:84%
Applauding you all for
choosing to be here

00:00:15.200 --> 00:00:16.800 align:middle line:90%
with us this afternoon.

00:00:16.800 --> 00:00:18.860 align:middle line:84%
It's a beautiful afternoon,
and we're just so

00:00:18.860 --> 00:00:22.010 align:middle line:84%
thrilled to have a big crowd
to welcome Robert Hass back

00:00:22.010 --> 00:00:23.000 align:middle line:90%
to Tucson.

00:00:23.000 --> 00:00:26.310 align:middle line:84%
We've had a great visit with
both Robert Hass and Brenda

00:00:26.310 --> 00:00:26.810 align:middle line:90%
Hillman.

00:00:26.810 --> 00:00:28.460 align:middle line:84%
A terrific reading
on Thursday night.

00:00:28.460 --> 00:00:30.305 align:middle line:90%
That was marvelous from Brenda.

00:00:30.305 --> 00:00:33.210 align:middle line:90%
[APPLAUSE]

00:00:33.210 --> 00:00:33.710 align:middle line:90%


00:00:33.710 --> 00:00:37.160 align:middle line:84%
So she set a high bar
for the love of her life.

00:00:37.160 --> 00:00:39.960 align:middle line:84%
And we're very excited
to hear from Bob today.

00:00:39.960 --> 00:00:40.970 align:middle line:90%
My name is Tyler Meier.

00:00:40.970 --> 00:00:44.570 align:middle line:84%
I work as the executive director
here at the Poetry Center.

00:00:44.570 --> 00:00:49.580 align:middle line:84%
And the Poetry Center is
beloved by many and very close

00:00:49.580 --> 00:00:51.210 align:middle line:90%
to my heart.

00:00:51.210 --> 00:00:54.710 align:middle line:84%
It takes a lot of energy
to have a center thrive

00:00:54.710 --> 00:00:56.240 align:middle line:90%
the way this one has.

00:00:56.240 --> 00:01:00.450 align:middle line:84%
And in my life, that requires
support from my family

00:01:00.450 --> 00:01:01.750 align:middle line:90%
and the people around me.

00:01:01.750 --> 00:01:03.190 align:middle line:90%
So I'm really excited.

00:01:03.190 --> 00:01:07.110 align:middle line:84%
I have a wife who's a teacher,
who's busy every Thursday

00:01:07.110 --> 00:01:08.320 align:middle line:90%
night with our kids.

00:01:08.320 --> 00:01:10.950 align:middle line:84%
And so she lets me come here and
do the work with the readings,

00:01:10.950 --> 00:01:12.760 align:middle line:90%
but she's here on a Saturday.

00:01:12.760 --> 00:01:14.190 align:middle line:90%
So this is my wife, Katie.

00:01:14.190 --> 00:01:17.370 align:middle line:90%
[APPLAUSE]

00:01:17.370 --> 00:01:18.150 align:middle line:90%
And I love you.

00:01:18.150 --> 00:01:20.310 align:middle line:84%
[KISSES, CHUCKLES]
She's embarrassed.

00:01:20.310 --> 00:01:24.150 align:middle line:84%
[LAUGHS] So it's a
team sport, and I'm

00:01:24.150 --> 00:01:25.860 align:middle line:90%
happy to be on that team.

00:01:25.860 --> 00:01:29.220 align:middle line:84%
There are two readings coming
up in the month of February

00:01:29.220 --> 00:01:31.430 align:middle line:84%
that I want to keep
everyone in the loop about.

00:01:31.430 --> 00:01:33.930 align:middle line:84%
Our next reading here in the
Center will be back on Thursday

00:01:33.930 --> 00:01:34.680 align:middle line:90%
nights.

00:01:34.680 --> 00:01:38.190 align:middle line:84%
It's at 7 o'clock, and it's
20th anniversary reading

00:01:38.190 --> 00:01:41.570 align:middle line:84%
in celebration of the
program Letras Latinas.

00:01:41.570 --> 00:01:43.320 align:middle line:84%
And so we're thrilled
to be in partnership

00:01:43.320 --> 00:01:44.220 align:middle line:90%
with Letras Latinas.

00:01:44.220 --> 00:01:46.180 align:middle line:84%
They're doing events
all over the country.

00:01:46.180 --> 00:01:47.730 align:middle line:84%
The program that
we'll have here is

00:01:47.730 --> 00:01:51.990 align:middle line:84%
going to feature three poets,
Gina Franco, Edgar Garcia,

00:01:51.990 --> 00:01:53.580 align:middle line:90%
and Sheila Maldonado.

00:01:53.580 --> 00:01:56.880 align:middle line:84%
And then we'll be hosted
by an associate of Letras

00:01:56.880 --> 00:01:58.377 align:middle line:90%
Latinas, Laura Villarreal.

00:01:58.377 --> 00:02:00.210 align:middle line:84%
We're so thrilled that
that's happening here

00:02:00.210 --> 00:02:01.800 align:middle line:84%
and that we're a
part of celebrating

00:02:01.800 --> 00:02:04.840 align:middle line:84%
the work that Letras Latinas
has done over the past 20 years.

00:02:04.840 --> 00:02:06.065 align:middle line:90%
So please come back for that.

00:02:06.065 --> 00:02:07.440 align:middle line:84%
It should be a
wonderful evening.

00:02:07.440 --> 00:02:10.199 align:middle line:84%
That's Thursday night,
the 22nd, at 7 o'clock

00:02:10.199 --> 00:02:11.820 align:middle line:90%
back here at the Poetry Center.

00:02:11.820 --> 00:02:13.200 align:middle line:90%
Then on the 29th--

00:02:13.200 --> 00:02:16.320 align:middle line:84%
this is one of those years
where we get a February 29--

00:02:16.320 --> 00:02:19.050 align:middle line:84%
we have a reading from the
poet Matthew Zapruder, who

00:02:19.050 --> 00:02:20.520 align:middle line:90%
returns back to Tucson.

00:02:20.520 --> 00:02:23.910 align:middle line:84%
And his book, his new
memoir, it was just

00:02:23.910 --> 00:02:26.340 align:middle line:84%
shortlisted for the National
Book Critics Circle Award.

00:02:26.340 --> 00:02:27.270 align:middle line:90%
It's terrific.

00:02:27.270 --> 00:02:28.980 align:middle line:90%
It's called The Story of a Poem.

00:02:28.980 --> 00:02:30.750 align:middle line:84%
And he'll be back
reading from that book,

00:02:30.750 --> 00:02:32.400 align:middle line:84%
I think, and also
from his poetry.

00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:34.860 align:middle line:84%
So those are what's
coming up in February.

00:02:34.860 --> 00:02:37.210 align:middle line:84%
We hope to see you back there
for both of those events.

00:02:37.210 --> 00:02:38.370 align:middle line:84%
I also just want
to quickly mention

00:02:38.370 --> 00:02:40.200 align:middle line:84%
that we have a really
exciting partnership

00:02:40.200 --> 00:02:42.630 align:middle line:84%
with the College of Science
in the month of February.

00:02:42.630 --> 00:02:46.170 align:middle line:84%
They annually do their College
of Science lecture series

00:02:46.170 --> 00:02:47.820 align:middle line:84%
presenting researchers
and the work

00:02:47.820 --> 00:02:50.820 align:middle line:84%
that the researchers are
doing for the general public

00:02:50.820 --> 00:02:51.570 align:middle line:90%
in Tucson.

00:02:51.570 --> 00:02:54.870 align:middle line:84%
Those happen on Wednesday
nights in the month of February

00:02:54.870 --> 00:02:56.010 align:middle line:90%
at Centennial Hall.

00:02:56.010 --> 00:02:58.030 align:middle line:84%
They're free and
open to the public.

00:02:58.030 --> 00:02:59.610 align:middle line:84%
And this partnership
that we have,

00:02:59.610 --> 00:03:02.070 align:middle line:84%
we've paired a poet with
each of the lectures

00:03:02.070 --> 00:03:03.180 align:middle line:90%
from the scientists.

00:03:03.180 --> 00:03:05.970 align:middle line:84%
And we're really pleased
to have that invitation

00:03:05.970 --> 00:03:09.360 align:middle line:84%
and to bring poetry
into the science spaces

00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:12.370 align:middle line:84%
where they live naturally,
but also, we sometimes forget.

00:03:12.370 --> 00:03:13.950 align:middle line:90%
And so we reinsert.

00:03:13.950 --> 00:03:16.530 align:middle line:84%
So the first reader-- and
that will be on February 7.

00:03:16.530 --> 00:03:19.440 align:middle line:84%
The topic is on
research in black holes.

00:03:19.440 --> 00:03:21.690 align:middle line:84%
And the poet is our
own Julie Swarstad

00:03:21.690 --> 00:03:23.095 align:middle line:90%
Johnson from the Poetry Center.

00:03:23.095 --> 00:03:24.970 align:middle line:84%
Later in the month,
we'll hear from the poets

00:03:24.970 --> 00:03:28.480 align:middle line:84%
Bojan Louis, Alison Hawthorne
Deming, and Katherine Larson.

00:03:28.480 --> 00:03:29.980 align:middle line:84%
And we're really
excited about that.

00:03:29.980 --> 00:03:33.850 align:middle line:84%
So come see us at the College of
Science lecture series as well.

00:03:33.850 --> 00:03:36.240 align:middle line:84%
All of these events, the
College of Science events,

00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:37.440 align:middle line:90%
that's on their website.

00:03:37.440 --> 00:03:40.470 align:middle line:84%
The poetry events is on our
information and our website.

00:03:40.470 --> 00:03:42.715 align:middle line:84%
This calendar, which is
available around the corner,

00:03:42.715 --> 00:03:43.840 align:middle line:90%
will tell you all about it.

00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:44.790 align:middle line:84%
So if you don't
have one of these

00:03:44.790 --> 00:03:47.730 align:middle line:84%
and want to know what's coming
up and how you can participate,

00:03:47.730 --> 00:03:48.810 align:middle line:90%
this is what you need.

00:03:48.810 --> 00:03:50.730 align:middle line:84%
And we'll be happy to
share them with you.

00:03:50.730 --> 00:03:52.800 align:middle line:84%
And so you can find them
right around the corner

00:03:52.800 --> 00:03:54.590 align:middle line:90%
after the reading.

00:03:54.590 --> 00:03:56.420 align:middle line:84%
Conveniently, right
next to it are

00:03:56.420 --> 00:03:57.770 align:middle line:90%
the books that are for sale.

00:03:57.770 --> 00:04:00.540 align:middle line:84%
So if you've brought any
extra dollars in your pocket,

00:04:00.540 --> 00:04:02.370 align:middle line:84%
this is a great
time to spend them.

00:04:02.370 --> 00:04:04.070 align:middle line:84%
And I'm sure that
Robert Hass would

00:04:04.070 --> 00:04:05.900 align:middle line:84%
be willing to come
up and sign and speak

00:04:05.900 --> 00:04:07.040 align:middle line:90%
with you after the reading.

00:04:07.040 --> 00:04:10.130 align:middle line:84%
So hope you'll take advantage
of that opportunity.

00:04:10.130 --> 00:04:12.170 align:middle line:84%
To help welcome
our visiting poet,

00:04:12.170 --> 00:04:14.840 align:middle line:84%
I want to welcome up a great
friend of the Poetry Center,

00:04:14.840 --> 00:04:17.735 align:middle line:84%
former Poetry Center
Director, a Regents Professor,

00:04:17.735 --> 00:04:20.209 align:middle line:84%
and emeritus here at the
University of Arizona,

00:04:20.209 --> 00:04:24.470 align:middle line:84%
Alison Hawthorne Deming,
author of two forthcoming books

00:04:24.470 --> 00:04:27.110 align:middle line:84%
in the next year,
the editor of one,

00:04:27.110 --> 00:04:30.080 align:middle line:84%
the editor of the anthology
The Gift of Animals:

00:04:30.080 --> 00:04:32.900 align:middle line:84%
A Celebration of Animals and
the People Who Love Them.

00:04:32.900 --> 00:04:35.660 align:middle line:84%
So a book about the creatures
of our world and poems

00:04:35.660 --> 00:04:38.180 align:middle line:84%
that describe them and bring
them to life and language.

00:04:38.180 --> 00:04:39.980 align:middle line:84%
And then a new
poetry collection--

00:04:39.980 --> 00:04:42.560 align:middle line:84%
Blue Flax and the
Yellow Mustard Seed.

00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:44.960 align:middle line:84%
Please help me welcome
Alison Hawthorne Deming.

00:04:44.960 --> 00:04:47.360 align:middle line:90%
[APPLAUSE]

00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:48.913 align:middle line:90%
Thanks as always.

00:04:48.913 --> 00:04:49.830 align:middle line:90%
Good to see you again.

00:04:49.830 --> 00:04:51.500 align:middle line:90%
Thanks so much.

00:04:51.500 --> 00:04:52.000 align:middle line:90%