WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.180 align:middle line:90% Hello, everybody. 00:00:01.180 --> 00:00:02.880 align:middle line:90% Welcome. 00:00:02.880 --> 00:00:04.960 align:middle line:90% How's everybody doing? 00:00:04.960 --> 00:00:05.660 align:middle line:90% Good. 00:00:05.660 --> 00:00:06.480 align:middle line:90% All right. 00:00:06.480 --> 00:00:08.140 align:middle line:90% We can applaud our well-being. 00:00:08.140 --> 00:00:09.800 align:middle line:90% I appreciate this. 00:00:09.800 --> 00:00:10.860 align:middle line:90% It's hard to be well. 00:00:10.860 --> 00:00:11.660 align:middle line:90% It's a busy time. 00:00:11.660 --> 00:00:13.452 align:middle line:84% There's many things happening in the world. 00:00:13.452 --> 00:00:15.500 align:middle line:84% But this is a sign of good things, 00:00:15.500 --> 00:00:16.940 align:middle line:90% a sign of order in the world. 00:00:16.940 --> 00:00:18.180 align:middle line:90% And I'm grateful for that. 00:00:18.180 --> 00:00:20.800 align:middle line:84% So I appreciate you helping to contribute 00:00:20.800 --> 00:00:24.960 align:middle line:90% to that side of the ledger. 00:00:24.960 --> 00:00:26.600 align:middle line:84% I want to start with a huge thanks 00:00:26.600 --> 00:00:30.240 align:middle line:84% to John Hudak, who's sponsoring the reading tonight. 00:00:30.240 --> 00:00:34.240 align:middle line:84% [AUDIENCE CLAPPING] And this is in memory 00:00:34.240 --> 00:00:37.260 align:middle line:84% of his parents, John A. Hudak Jr. and Dorothy M. Hudak. 00:00:37.260 --> 00:00:38.780 align:middle line:90% And so, huge gratitude to John. 00:00:38.780 --> 00:00:39.580 align:middle line:90% Thank you so much. 00:00:39.580 --> 00:00:42.200 align:middle line:84% We're really grateful for all you do for poetry 00:00:42.200 --> 00:00:45.600 align:middle line:84% and all you've done for poetry for many, many years. 00:00:45.600 --> 00:00:47.140 align:middle line:90% We have big news. 00:00:47.140 --> 00:00:51.360 align:middle line:84% And that is that Alicia is not here in person, 00:00:51.360 --> 00:00:56.200 align:middle line:84% but is here in presence, and will be on a giant screen 00:00:56.200 --> 00:00:57.960 align:middle line:90% soon behind us. 00:00:57.960 --> 00:00:59.560 align:middle line:84% And was unable to make it here because 00:00:59.560 --> 00:01:02.520 align:middle line:84% of the weather in the Northeast, which 00:01:02.520 --> 00:01:06.090 align:middle line:84% both stymied travel but also contributed to, I think, 00:01:06.090 --> 00:01:08.470 align:middle line:84% a burst pipe in her apartment complex. 00:01:08.470 --> 00:01:10.670 align:middle line:84% So she's been dealing with many things. 00:01:10.670 --> 00:01:13.970 align:middle line:84% She's very eager to participate in the poetry reading. 00:01:13.970 --> 00:01:17.563 align:middle line:84% And so we'll have her online on Zoom in that format. 00:01:17.563 --> 00:01:19.230 align:middle line:84% And then she's still-- just so you know, 00:01:19.230 --> 00:01:22.910 align:middle line:84% she's committed to coming to Tucson, but next week. 00:01:22.910 --> 00:01:24.350 align:middle line:84% And so she's going to come partake 00:01:24.350 --> 00:01:26.670 align:middle line:84% in some sunshine which we'll allow her 00:01:26.670 --> 00:01:28.790 align:middle line:90% to shovel instead of snow. 00:01:28.790 --> 00:01:30.170 align:middle line:90% And she'll be with us then. 00:01:30.170 --> 00:01:32.340 align:middle line:90% So please know that. 00:01:32.340 --> 00:01:33.590 align:middle line:90% And she'll read first tonight. 00:01:33.590 --> 00:01:35.170 align:middle line:90% And Eleanor will read second. 00:01:35.170 --> 00:01:36.850 align:middle line:90% And we'll get on to that soon. 00:01:36.850 --> 00:01:39.570 align:middle line:84% I wanted to just give a couple of quick announcements. 00:01:39.570 --> 00:01:40.290 align:middle line:90% My name is Tyler. 00:01:40.290 --> 00:01:42.830 align:middle line:84% I work as the director at the Poetry Center, which 00:01:42.830 --> 00:01:44.750 align:middle line:84% is very much a team sport with many people 00:01:44.750 --> 00:01:47.835 align:middle line:84% who are operating the levers to make the Poetry Center go. 00:01:47.835 --> 00:01:50.210 align:middle line:84% Some of them are setting up chairs in the back right now. 00:01:50.210 --> 00:01:53.910 align:middle line:84% Paola Valenzuela, Julie Johnson is back there too, I think. 00:01:53.910 --> 00:01:57.070 align:middle line:84% Bruno is helping make the sound work. 00:01:57.070 --> 00:01:58.250 align:middle line:90% Sarah Kortemeier is here. 00:01:58.250 --> 00:02:01.510 align:middle line:84% She runs our library, many other staff. 00:02:01.510 --> 00:02:04.150 align:middle line:84% It's a big team effort and gratitude to everybody 00:02:04.150 --> 00:02:09.403 align:middle line:84% who participates in all of it and puts up with me. 00:02:09.403 --> 00:02:11.820 align:middle line:84% We have been working with the downtown Tucson partnerships 00:02:11.820 --> 00:02:14.820 align:middle line:90% on the annual haiku contest. 00:02:14.820 --> 00:02:17.780 align:middle line:84% It's become-- this is the seventh iteration of it. 00:02:17.780 --> 00:02:18.860 align:middle line:90% It's free to submit. 00:02:18.860 --> 00:02:22.140 align:middle line:84% If you're interested in adding your voice to the mix, 00:02:22.140 --> 00:02:23.680 align:middle line:84% the theme this year is connections. 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:25.840 align:middle line:84% Thinking about what connects us to each other, 00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:28.300 align:middle line:84% what connects us to places, what connects us 00:02:28.300 --> 00:02:30.620 align:middle line:90% to ideas that we care about. 00:02:30.620 --> 00:02:31.920 align:middle line:90% All of that's fair game. 00:02:31.920 --> 00:02:35.400 align:middle line:84% And so maybe what connects the plant to the ground, et cetera. 00:02:35.400 --> 00:02:39.520 align:middle line:84% You can imagine broadly that deadline is looming. 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:40.760 align:middle line:90% It's on February 2nd. 00:02:40.760 --> 00:02:45.420 align:middle line:84% So if you're feeling haiku-ish, operate quickly, and participate 00:02:45.420 --> 00:02:48.820 align:middle line:84% soon before it closes, we'd love to have your voice included 00:02:48.820 --> 00:02:49.920 align:middle line:90% in the mix there. 00:02:49.920 --> 00:02:50.760 align:middle line:90% It's always great. 00:02:50.760 --> 00:02:53.537 align:middle line:84% The 20 winning poems are then presented on 00:02:53.537 --> 00:02:55.620 align:middle line:84% and featured in plaques throughout downtown Tucson 00:02:55.620 --> 00:02:57.100 align:middle line:90% throughout the spring. 00:02:57.100 --> 00:03:00.515 align:middle line:84% And we would be thrilled to have more submissions. 00:03:00.515 --> 00:03:02.640 align:middle line:84% If you're a student at the U of A, raise your hand. 00:03:02.640 --> 00:03:03.440 align:middle line:90% Anybody students? 00:03:03.440 --> 00:03:04.300 align:middle line:90% Some of you are. 00:03:04.300 --> 00:03:05.100 align:middle line:90% Very good. 00:03:05.100 --> 00:03:05.600 align:middle line:90% OK. 00:03:05.600 --> 00:03:09.020 align:middle line:84% I want to quickly announce for you guys especially, 00:03:09.020 --> 00:03:11.190 align:middle line:84% you may have heard this, others in the room. 00:03:11.190 --> 00:03:14.530 align:middle line:84% There's a Palo Verde Bloom Festival happening this year 00:03:14.530 --> 00:03:17.570 align:middle line:84% with the Hispanic Metro Chamber that's launching that. 00:03:17.570 --> 00:03:20.410 align:middle line:84% And they are sponsoring a contest for U of A students 00:03:20.410 --> 00:03:23.645 align:middle line:84% to submit a poem to become the poet laureate of the festival. 00:03:23.645 --> 00:03:25.270 align:middle line:84% And if you're interested in doing that, 00:03:25.270 --> 00:03:26.510 align:middle line:90% I encourage you to submit. 00:03:26.510 --> 00:03:29.158 align:middle line:84% Those details are on the Poetry Center's website. 00:03:29.158 --> 00:03:30.950 align:middle line:84% And the deadline for that is February 20th. 00:03:30.950 --> 00:03:32.590 align:middle line:84% You have a little bit of extra time. 00:03:32.590 --> 00:03:33.930 align:middle line:90% That does not mean delay. 00:03:33.930 --> 00:03:36.970 align:middle line:90% If you're like me, move early. 00:03:36.970 --> 00:03:39.210 align:middle line:90% Don't wait for the deadline. 00:03:39.210 --> 00:03:41.530 align:middle line:84% But we would love to have you submitting in that 00:03:41.530 --> 00:03:44.028 align:middle line:84% and participating in that contest as well. 00:03:44.028 --> 00:03:45.570 align:middle line:84% The Poetry Center is again partnering 00:03:45.570 --> 00:03:47.987 align:middle line:84% with the College of Science on their lecture series, which 00:03:47.987 --> 00:03:50.370 align:middle line:84% is their major event that happens at the Centennial 00:03:50.370 --> 00:03:53.130 align:middle line:90% Hall for lectures every spring. 00:03:53.130 --> 00:03:55.430 align:middle line:84% This spring, their theme is Today's Science, 00:03:55.430 --> 00:03:56.790 align:middle line:90% Tomorrow's World. 00:03:56.790 --> 00:03:59.270 align:middle line:84% The topics roam between each of the lectures. 00:03:59.270 --> 00:04:00.730 align:middle line:84% They've invited us to have a poet 00:04:00.730 --> 00:04:04.710 align:middle line:84% as a kind of opener for those readings and those lectures. 00:04:04.710 --> 00:04:07.170 align:middle line:84% The first one will be on February 4th. 00:04:07.170 --> 00:04:10.290 align:middle line:84% The topic of the talk is on aging science, 00:04:10.290 --> 00:04:13.140 align:middle line:84% and what we know about aging, and what science is teaching us. 00:04:13.140 --> 00:04:16.360 align:middle line:84% The poem is by the ever youthful Peggy Shumaker. 00:04:16.360 --> 00:04:17.980 align:middle line:84% And so I hope you'll come to those. 00:04:17.980 --> 00:04:20.820 align:middle line:84% Those are free on various nights throughout February. 00:04:20.820 --> 00:04:23.307 align:middle line:84% You can learn more at the College of science website. 00:04:23.307 --> 00:04:24.640 align:middle line:90% That's their big lecture series. 00:04:24.640 --> 00:04:26.005 align:middle line:90% Again, all throughout February. 00:04:26.005 --> 00:04:27.880 align:middle line:84% And the first poet launching that off with us 00:04:27.880 --> 00:04:30.480 align:middle line:90% is Peggy Shumaker. 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:32.988 align:middle line:84% We have interpretation tonight from two signers. 00:04:32.988 --> 00:04:34.780 align:middle line:84% And we're really pleased that they're here. 00:04:34.780 --> 00:04:38.525 align:middle line:84% Please, a big round of applause for Leanne and Sydney. 00:04:38.525 --> 00:04:43.040 align:middle line:84% [AUDIENCE CLAPPING] Who we are incredibly grateful 00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:48.028 align:middle line:84% for their work with interpretation and with signing. 00:04:48.028 --> 00:04:49.820 align:middle line:84% Three upcoming things at the Poetry Center. 00:04:49.820 --> 00:04:52.403 align:middle line:84% Just to quickly reference, in addition to all the other things 00:04:52.403 --> 00:04:54.740 align:middle line:84% happening there on February 12th, 00:04:54.740 --> 00:04:57.720 align:middle line:84% there's a collaboration with the creative writing program, 00:04:57.720 --> 00:05:00.720 align:middle line:84% a prose reading with two prose writers that will be in town 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:01.220 align:middle line:90% that night. 00:05:01.220 --> 00:05:04.540 align:middle line:84% That's a Thursday, February 12th, here at the Poetry Center. 00:05:04.540 --> 00:05:07.800 align:middle line:84% Fernando Flores and Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya. 00:05:07.800 --> 00:05:09.840 align:middle line:84% We're so excited that they're both here. 00:05:09.840 --> 00:05:10.980 align:middle line:90% Rodrigo is here in Tucson. 00:05:10.980 --> 00:05:12.340 align:middle line:90% Fernando is traveling in. 00:05:12.340 --> 00:05:14.160 align:middle line:84% That will be a prose reading here, again, 00:05:14.160 --> 00:05:16.350 align:middle line:84% in collaboration with the creative writing program 00:05:16.350 --> 00:05:17.830 align:middle line:90% on February 12th. 00:05:17.830 --> 00:05:21.150 align:middle line:84% February 19th is a poetry reading with Annie Wenstrup 00:05:21.150 --> 00:05:23.110 align:middle line:90% and Lena Khalaf Tuffaha. 00:05:23.110 --> 00:05:24.610 align:middle line:90% And we're so excited about this. 00:05:24.610 --> 00:05:27.790 align:middle line:84% Tuffaha was the 2024 National Book Award winner. 00:05:27.790 --> 00:05:28.830 align:middle line:90% And so thrilled to have. 00:05:28.830 --> 00:05:30.990 align:middle line:84% Annie's got a terrific first book. 00:05:30.990 --> 00:05:34.710 align:middle line:84% That's back here, February 19th, 7 o'clock at the Poetry Center. 00:05:34.710 --> 00:05:37.830 align:middle line:84% And then on February 26th, we have our annual Morgan Lucas 00:05:37.830 --> 00:05:40.430 align:middle line:84% Schuldt reading that will feature the poets Susan Nguyen 00:05:40.430 --> 00:05:41.690 align:middle line:90% and Andrew Grace. 00:05:41.690 --> 00:05:43.910 align:middle line:84% And we're really excited about that as well. 00:05:43.910 --> 00:05:45.450 align:middle line:90% Lots of things happening. 00:05:45.450 --> 00:05:46.640 align:middle line:90% We're flooding the zone. 00:05:46.640 --> 00:05:47.890 align:middle line:90% We're really excited about it. 00:05:47.890 --> 00:05:51.270 align:middle line:84% So hope you'll come back and come enjoy some poetry 00:05:51.270 --> 00:05:54.705 align:middle line:90% throughout the upcoming weeks. 00:05:54.705 --> 00:05:57.330 align:middle line:84% You might be asking yourself, as I talk about all these things, 00:05:57.330 --> 00:06:00.030 align:middle line:84% what can I do to help the Poetry Center? 00:06:00.030 --> 00:06:02.038 align:middle line:90% Maybe you're not. 00:06:02.038 --> 00:06:03.830 align:middle line:84% Part of my duty is to tell you a little bit 00:06:03.830 --> 00:06:05.830 align:middle line:90% about how you might help. 00:06:05.830 --> 00:06:07.950 align:middle line:84% And so one of the great ways that this can happen 00:06:07.950 --> 00:06:10.617 align:middle line:84% is through contributions to what we call the Whitman Circle here 00:06:10.617 --> 00:06:11.670 align:middle line:90% at the Poetry Center. 00:06:11.670 --> 00:06:15.870 align:middle line:84% And that supporters that choose to make a $250 annual commitment 00:06:15.870 --> 00:06:18.840 align:middle line:84% and get access to a series of benefits through that support. 00:06:18.840 --> 00:06:20.340 align:middle line:84% And this is really an engine of how 00:06:20.340 --> 00:06:24.300 align:middle line:84% the Poetry Center is able to do all the things that it does. 00:06:24.300 --> 00:06:26.500 align:middle line:84% Some of those perks are receptions with poets 00:06:26.500 --> 00:06:31.900 align:middle line:84% before they visit and more-- broadsides, et cetera. 00:06:31.900 --> 00:06:34.660 align:middle line:84% The Whitman Circle, again, a big part of the Poetry Center. 00:06:34.660 --> 00:06:37.745 align:middle line:84% Whitman famously said, I am large and contain multitudes. 00:06:37.745 --> 00:06:39.620 align:middle line:84% We're hoping that the Whitman Circle can also 00:06:39.620 --> 00:06:42.272 align:middle line:90% be large and contain multitudes. 00:06:42.272 --> 00:06:43.980 align:middle line:84% And so if you think that's right for you, 00:06:43.980 --> 00:06:46.480 align:middle line:84% there's some information about giving on the side over here. 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:48.032 align:middle line:90% I'm happy to talk to you. 00:06:48.032 --> 00:06:50.240 align:middle line:84% And we would love to have your support of the center. 00:06:50.240 --> 00:06:51.240 align:middle line:90% Thanks so much for that. 00:06:51.240 --> 00:06:53.003 align:middle line:84% And if you are in the Whitman Circle, 00:06:53.003 --> 00:06:55.420 align:middle line:84% thank you so much for your support and a round of applause 00:06:55.420 --> 00:06:57.860 align:middle line:90% for you and for all that you do. 00:06:57.860 --> 00:07:00.260 align:middle line:90% [AUDIENCE CLAPPING] 00:07:00.260 --> 00:07:02.000 align:middle line:90% My job is done now. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:06.280 align:middle line:84% But I'm excited to welcome up the poet, editor, translator, 00:07:06.280 --> 00:07:08.780 align:middle line:84% and Emerita Professor Cynthia Hogue, who's going 00:07:08.780 --> 00:07:10.820 align:middle line:90% to introduce Alicia Ostriker. 00:07:10.820 --> 00:07:12.680 align:middle line:84% Hogue is the author of more than 20 titles, 00:07:12.680 --> 00:07:16.560 align:middle line:84% most recently the wonderful poetry collection, "instead, 00:07:16.560 --> 00:07:17.520 align:middle line:90% it is dark." 00:07:17.520 --> 00:07:21.250 align:middle line:84% Please help us welcome our good friend, Cynthia Hogue. 00:07:21.250 --> 00:07:22.000 align:middle line:90%