Charles Alexander and Susan Thackrey: February 2, 2017

Charles Alexander introduces, then reads "Pushing Water 50," from his book Pushing Water, followed by two unpublished poems, "Pushing Water 75" and "Pushing Water 76," more recent work written partly in response to the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, alongside the poet's reading in Shakespeare's comedies.

Susan Thackrey provides background regarding the series of translations and new poems (from Arabic originals, to Spanish, to English, plus her own original "poems in the presence of poems") that make up her recent book, Andalusia. She then reads the second half of Andalusia, including: "12, (33) Regalando Un Espejo/The Gift of a Mirror," "12, Thank you for...," "14, You say you came," "15, (32) La Tunica Roja/The Red Tunic," "15, Layla," "16, (44) La Azucena/The Lily," "16, What warrior so," "17, (5) Despedida/The Farewell," "17, How do you...," "18, No man has...," "19, (60) Un Jardin/A Garden," "19, I, too, love...," "20, (81) El Luto En Al-Andalus/Mourning in Al-Andalusia," "20, Alba," "21, (41) La Hermosa En La Orgia/The Beauty of the Revelry," "21, I am the dancer...," "22 The young deer...," "23, (39) Castidad/Chastity," "23, When I came to...," "24, (4) La Nuez/The Walnut," "24, Eyelid," "25, (15) Peticion De Un Halcon/Petition for a Falcon," "25, As the smallest bird...," "26, (53) Fragmentos De La 'Qasida En Nun'/Fragments of the 'Qasida en Nun'," "26, It tears at my heart...," "27, What has been...," "28, (46) La Luna/The Moon," "28, Look how...," and "29, Where object...."

Charles Alexander and Susan Thackrey take questions from the audience. They discuss working in longer movements, the poem as a field in which things happen, being a participant engaged in reading, using the energy of self-doubt, reading aloud, songs of the Troubadours, problems concerning work that attempts to speak for the cultural experience of others, and allowing the poem to shape or organize itself.