WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:00.610 align:middle line:90%


00:00:00.610 --> 00:00:01.790 align:middle line:90%
Hello, everybody.

00:00:01.790 --> 00:00:03.610 align:middle line:90%
How are you doing?

00:00:03.610 --> 00:00:06.580 align:middle line:90%
All right.

00:00:06.580 --> 00:00:08.050 align:middle line:84%
A round of applause
for yourselves

00:00:08.050 --> 00:00:10.630 align:middle line:84%
for making a great choice for
a Thursday night in Tucson.

00:00:10.630 --> 00:00:11.160 align:middle line:90%
Good work.

00:00:11.160 --> 00:00:11.480 align:middle line:90%
[APPLAUSE]

00:00:11.480 --> 00:00:12.563 align:middle line:90%
You've done a great thing.

00:00:12.563 --> 00:00:15.190 align:middle line:90%


00:00:15.190 --> 00:00:16.340 align:middle line:90%
My name is Tyler.

00:00:16.340 --> 00:00:18.500 align:middle line:84%
I work here as the director
at the Poetry Center.

00:00:18.500 --> 00:00:21.860 align:middle line:84%
And so the Poetry Center, of
course, is a giant team effort.

00:00:21.860 --> 00:00:25.000 align:middle line:84%
And we're thrilled to have
a really exceptional reading

00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:25.970 align:middle line:90%
series here this year.

00:00:25.970 --> 00:00:28.990 align:middle line:84%
And we're especially excited to
have Mary Ruefle back with us

00:00:28.990 --> 00:00:31.040 align:middle line:84%
in Tucson and here to
do a reading tonight.

00:00:31.040 --> 00:00:33.350 align:middle line:84%
So thank you for
helping us welcome her.

00:00:33.350 --> 00:00:35.830 align:middle line:90%
[APPLAUSE]

00:00:35.830 --> 00:00:38.030 align:middle line:84%
I'm going to start really
quickly with the story.

00:00:38.030 --> 00:00:41.890 align:middle line:84%
I'm not frequently wearing
a tie at the readings,

00:00:41.890 --> 00:00:43.250 align:middle line:90%
but this one is special.

00:00:43.250 --> 00:00:48.700 align:middle line:84%
If you can see, there's a really
amazing stapler on this tie.

00:00:48.700 --> 00:00:50.980 align:middle line:84%
And so about a month
ago, I happened

00:00:50.980 --> 00:00:52.930 align:middle line:84%
to be at the Poetry
Center on a Saturday

00:00:52.930 --> 00:00:55.310 align:middle line:84%
while we were closed on
Saturdays during the summer,

00:00:55.310 --> 00:00:58.450 align:middle line:84%
and the work week had somewhat
spilled over into a Saturday.

00:00:58.450 --> 00:01:00.950 align:middle line:84%
And so I was sitting at
the front desk by chance

00:01:00.950 --> 00:01:04.280 align:middle line:84%
and a phone call came in, and
it had a Vermont area code.

00:01:04.280 --> 00:01:06.780 align:middle line:84%
And I thought, oh, we have some
writers coming from Vermont,

00:01:06.780 --> 00:01:08.540 align:middle line:90%
I'd better pick this up.

00:01:08.540 --> 00:01:11.600 align:middle line:84%
And I picked up the phone,
and it was Mary Ruefle.

00:01:11.600 --> 00:01:14.940 align:middle line:84%
And she said, well, you're
such a great poetry center,

00:01:14.940 --> 00:01:18.590 align:middle line:84%
I was sure that you would
be open on Saturdays.

00:01:18.590 --> 00:01:21.780 align:middle line:84%
And I said, we normally are,
but this summer, we're not.

00:01:21.780 --> 00:01:23.270 align:middle line:90%
I just happened to be here.

00:01:23.270 --> 00:01:26.690 align:middle line:84%
And so we were sorting out some
details with the exhibit, which

00:01:26.690 --> 00:01:29.220 align:middle line:84%
I will just quickly plug, if
you've not seen the exhibit,

00:01:29.220 --> 00:01:31.080 align:middle line:90%
please come see the exhibit.

00:01:31.080 --> 00:01:34.220 align:middle line:84%
It features Mary's
Erasures, and they are just

00:01:34.220 --> 00:01:37.800 align:middle line:84%
a tremendous selection of
that work and that practice.

00:01:37.800 --> 00:01:39.720 align:middle line:90%
And they tell amazing stories.

00:01:39.720 --> 00:01:41.210 align:middle line:90%
They will make you laugh.

00:01:41.210 --> 00:01:42.930 align:middle line:90%
They will make you wonder.

00:01:42.930 --> 00:01:44.220 align:middle line:90%
They make you tear up a bit.

00:01:44.220 --> 00:01:45.500 align:middle line:90%
They're just amazing.

00:01:45.500 --> 00:01:48.680 align:middle line:84%
So come back anytime we're
open, including Saturdays now,

00:01:48.680 --> 00:01:50.510 align:middle line:90%
and come check them out.

00:01:50.510 --> 00:01:53.720 align:middle line:84%
So Mary says, finally,
after we sort out

00:01:53.720 --> 00:01:56.400 align:middle line:84%
how to ship things to the
Poetry Center, she says, well,

00:01:56.400 --> 00:01:58.400 align:middle line:90%
why are you there on a Saturday?

00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:02.570 align:middle line:84%
And I said, I am a
beleaguered arts administrator

00:02:02.570 --> 00:02:04.440 align:middle line:90%
who's working on a Saturday.

00:02:04.440 --> 00:02:06.660 align:middle line:84%
And so when she
got here, she said,

00:02:06.660 --> 00:02:09.680 align:middle line:84%
I have a gift for the
beleaguered arts administrator,

00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:11.690 align:middle line:90%
and it's my staple tie.

00:02:11.690 --> 00:02:14.340 align:middle line:84%
And so I'm really
excited about it.

00:02:14.340 --> 00:02:16.710 align:middle line:84%
And if you want to
applaud the tie, you can.

00:02:16.710 --> 00:02:17.750 align:middle line:90%
It's very nice.

00:02:17.750 --> 00:02:20.270 align:middle line:90%
[APPLAUSE]

00:02:20.270 --> 00:02:22.580 align:middle line:84%
And ranks up there with
one of the best gifts

00:02:22.580 --> 00:02:23.760 align:middle line:90%
I've ever been given.

00:02:23.760 --> 00:02:24.870 align:middle line:90%
So it's a delight.

00:02:24.870 --> 00:02:27.988 align:middle line:90%
And thank you so much, Mary.

00:02:27.988 --> 00:02:30.030 align:middle line:84%
I'll just mention quickly,
there are two readings

00:02:30.030 --> 00:02:31.035 align:middle line:90%
coming up in October.

00:02:31.035 --> 00:02:33.160 align:middle line:84%
We have a little bit of a
break before they happen,

00:02:33.160 --> 00:02:34.535 align:middle line:84%
but we're very
excited about both

00:02:34.535 --> 00:02:36.990 align:middle line:84%
of these and excited to see
you back here at the Poetry

00:02:36.990 --> 00:02:39.450 align:middle line:90%
Center on Thursday nights.

00:02:39.450 --> 00:02:42.760 align:middle line:84%
So the first is coming
up Thursday, October 17,

00:02:42.760 --> 00:02:45.990 align:middle line:84%
and it will feature 2024
National Book Award finalist

00:02:45.990 --> 00:02:49.210 align:middle line:84%
and the 2024 Pulitzer
Prize winner, Brandon Som.

00:02:49.210 --> 00:02:50.730 align:middle line:84%
And we're so excited
that Brandon's

00:02:50.730 --> 00:02:54.870 align:middle line:84%
coming to Tucson to visit us
behind his amazing book, Tripas,

00:02:54.870 --> 00:02:58.290 align:middle line:84%
which is an amazing, amazing
collection of poetry.

00:02:58.290 --> 00:03:01.320 align:middle line:84%
That book braids Brandon's
background and history

00:03:01.320 --> 00:03:04.410 align:middle line:84%
as a Chinese-American and
Mexican-American growing up

00:03:04.410 --> 00:03:05.140 align:middle line:90%
in Phoenix.

00:03:05.140 --> 00:03:06.660 align:middle line:84%
And it does it in
language in ways

00:03:06.660 --> 00:03:09.720 align:middle line:84%
that are just out of
this world beautiful.

00:03:09.720 --> 00:03:12.180 align:middle line:84%
And so if you're interested
in another great reading

00:03:12.180 --> 00:03:14.980 align:middle line:84%
at the Poetry Center, Thursday
the 17, that's happening.

00:03:14.980 --> 00:03:18.220 align:middle line:84%
That event is also part of the
Tucson Humanities Festival,

00:03:18.220 --> 00:03:19.800 align:middle line:84%
which is an effort
that's launched

00:03:19.800 --> 00:03:22.230 align:middle line:84%
every October by the
College of Humanities that

00:03:22.230 --> 00:03:24.630 align:middle line:84%
brings humanities
events to Tucson

00:03:24.630 --> 00:03:26.800 align:middle line:84%
and presents them for
free to the public.

00:03:26.800 --> 00:03:29.072 align:middle line:84%
So in addition to
Brandon's reading,

00:03:29.072 --> 00:03:30.780 align:middle line:84%
there are other events
that are happening

00:03:30.780 --> 00:03:32.037 align:middle line:90%
that we're very excited about.

00:03:32.037 --> 00:03:34.620 align:middle line:84%
And you can learn more by going
to the Poetry Center's website

00:03:34.620 --> 00:03:36.810 align:middle line:84%
or by some information
that's on the tables

00:03:36.810 --> 00:03:39.000 align:middle line:90%
right around the corner here.

00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:40.950 align:middle line:84%
The College of
Humanities is headed

00:03:40.950 --> 00:03:45.250 align:middle line:84%
by Dean A-P Durand, who happens
to be here, and he's my boss.

00:03:45.250 --> 00:03:47.020 align:middle line:90%
So let's have round of applause.

00:03:47.020 --> 00:03:48.720 align:middle line:90%
[APPLAUSE]

00:03:48.720 --> 00:03:51.390 align:middle line:90%
Yeah.

00:03:51.390 --> 00:03:52.793 align:middle line:90%
We're very grateful.

00:03:52.793 --> 00:03:54.960 align:middle line:84%
We get great support from
the College of Humanities,

00:03:54.960 --> 00:03:56.970 align:middle line:84%
and we're thrilled
to be in this college

00:03:56.970 --> 00:04:00.120 align:middle line:84%
and doing work alongside
many incredible peers.

00:04:00.120 --> 00:04:03.480 align:middle line:84%
So gratitude for that support
and being part of the Tucson

00:04:03.480 --> 00:04:04.840 align:middle line:90%
Humanities Festival.

00:04:04.840 --> 00:04:08.160 align:middle line:84%
The next week after the
17, Brandon's reading,

00:04:08.160 --> 00:04:11.970 align:middle line:84%
on October 24, we have our
annual Hannelore Quander-Rattee

00:04:11.970 --> 00:04:13.960 align:middle line:90%
Works-in-Translation reading.

00:04:13.960 --> 00:04:15.840 align:middle line:84%
And we're featuring
a Peruvian poet

00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:18.068 align:middle line:84%
named Tilsa Otta
and her translator,

00:04:18.068 --> 00:04:20.610 align:middle line:84%
who's a faculty member and a
great friend here at the U of A,

00:04:20.610 --> 00:04:24.540 align:middle line:84%
Farid Matuk, who's walking
in the back right now.

00:04:24.540 --> 00:04:29.910 align:middle line:84%
And so this is a collaboration
that's part of Graywolf Presses

00:04:29.910 --> 00:04:31.120 align:middle line:90%
50th anniversary.

00:04:31.120 --> 00:04:33.220 align:middle line:84%
And they're doing events
all across the country.

00:04:33.220 --> 00:04:34.800 align:middle line:84%
So we're really excited
to be collaborating

00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:36.217 align:middle line:84%
with that great
press and the work

00:04:36.217 --> 00:04:38.760 align:middle line:84%
that they've done for
decades and celebrating

00:04:38.760 --> 00:04:41.190 align:middle line:84%
this great writer from
Peru and the translations

00:04:41.190 --> 00:04:42.372 align:middle line:90%
that Farid has done.

00:04:42.372 --> 00:04:44.580 align:middle line:84%
Both of those are at 7
o'clock on Thursdays back here

00:04:44.580 --> 00:04:45.750 align:middle line:90%
at the Poetry Center.

00:04:45.750 --> 00:04:48.310 align:middle line:84%
You can find all those
details in this handy dandy

00:04:48.310 --> 00:04:49.130 align:middle line:90%
little flyer.

00:04:49.130 --> 00:04:49.820 align:middle line:90%
Attractive.

00:04:49.820 --> 00:04:50.440 align:middle line:90%
Beautiful.

00:04:50.440 --> 00:04:51.500 align:middle line:90%
Fits in your pocket.

00:04:51.500 --> 00:04:52.550 align:middle line:90%
Take it with you.

00:04:52.550 --> 00:04:55.090 align:middle line:90%
Lots of them up here.

00:04:55.090 --> 00:04:56.850 align:middle line:84%
Books are for sale
after the reading,

00:04:56.850 --> 00:04:58.100 align:middle line:90%
and there's two things to say.

00:04:58.100 --> 00:05:00.590 align:middle line:84%
So the bookstore has many
of Mary's books for sale.

00:05:00.590 --> 00:05:03.403 align:middle line:84%
And we're really excited about
this, both poetry and prose.

00:05:03.403 --> 00:05:05.570 align:middle line:84%
So we hope you'll buy those
books after the reading.

00:05:05.570 --> 00:05:07.258 align:middle line:84%
I know Mary's
happy to sign them,

00:05:07.258 --> 00:05:08.800 align:middle line:84%
and we'll make a
station for you guys

00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:10.900 align:middle line:84%
to come up and connect
with her about that.

00:05:10.900 --> 00:05:13.150 align:middle line:84%
There's also a very
special edition

00:05:13.150 --> 00:05:17.140 align:middle line:84%
of one of Mary's Erasures
called an Incarnation of the Now

00:05:17.140 --> 00:05:21.100 align:middle line:84%
that was done in a facsimile
edition by a small press.

00:05:21.100 --> 00:05:22.910 align:middle line:90%
There are only so many copies--

00:05:22.910 --> 00:05:26.050 align:middle line:84%
I think 270 total copies
of the book that were made.

00:05:26.050 --> 00:05:28.610 align:middle line:84%
These are the remaining
eight that we have here.

00:05:28.610 --> 00:05:30.400 align:middle line:90%
I think actually maybe six.

00:05:30.400 --> 00:05:32.020 align:middle line:84%
And so these are
very special book.

00:05:32.020 --> 00:05:34.870 align:middle line:84%
If you're interested in
this book, they are $50,

00:05:34.870 --> 00:05:36.370 align:middle line:84%
and there's a way
you can use Venmo

00:05:36.370 --> 00:05:37.880 align:middle line:90%
right here to pay for them.

00:05:37.880 --> 00:05:40.120 align:middle line:84%
And I'm happy to work
with you on that as well.

00:05:40.120 --> 00:05:41.680 align:middle line:90%
So books afterwards.

00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:44.200 align:middle line:84%
And please come and
avail yourselves.

00:05:44.200 --> 00:05:47.510 align:middle line:84%
It's my pleasure to welcome up
another friend, Ander Monson,

00:05:47.510 --> 00:05:50.050 align:middle line:84%
who will come up and
introduce Mary Ruefle.

00:05:50.050 --> 00:05:52.130 align:middle line:84%
Ander is the author
of nine books.

00:05:52.130 --> 00:05:53.780 align:middle line:90%
He fears no genre.

00:05:53.780 --> 00:05:55.010 align:middle line:90%
He works in all of them.

00:05:55.010 --> 00:05:58.300 align:middle line:84%
So poetry, prose, nonfiction,
all fair game for Ander.

00:05:58.300 --> 00:06:01.150 align:middle line:84%
His most recent book is the
nonfiction book, Predator:

00:06:01.150 --> 00:06:03.870 align:middle line:90%
A Memoir, A Movie, An Obsession.

00:06:03.870 --> 00:06:06.670 align:middle line:84%
Please help me welcome our
great friend, Ander Monson.

00:06:06.670 --> 00:06:08.500 align:middle line:90%
[APPLAUSE]

00:06:08.500 --> 00:06:09.000 align:middle line:90%