File, Digital Video

Contemporary American Authors Lecture Series
Rita Dove, Friday April 19, 1996
Marygrove College
Master
#1 1::26:53

Digital video captured from a Video8 tape containing raw footage of Rita Dove's Contemporary American Authors Lecture series Reading/Reception at Marygrove College's Alumni Hall on April 19, 1996.

The recording begins with a series of shots of tacked up print-outs serving as title cards. The footage from the program itself begins with jazz pianist Harold McKinney performing as the audience gathers. After a pause, Dr. Barbara Johns, IHM, chair of Marygrove's English Department and host of the event, appears and provides an introduction to McKinney, before he resumes playing with a performance of "Lost in the Stars."

Johns then returns to the podium to recognize supporters of the series, and to introduce Dr. Mary Helen Washington. Dr. Washington next provides and introduction for Rita Dove.

In her presentation, Rita Dove speaks about her role as poet laureate, her book "Thomas and Beulah," and provides other background information on her works. She reads "Lady Freedom Among Us," "Flash Cards," "Hully Gully," "The Buckeye," "The Event," "Jiving," "Under the Viaduct, 1932," "Dusting," "The Great Palaces of Versailles," "The Island Women of Paris," "Canary," "Parsley," "Persephone, Falling," "The Narcissus Flower," "Statistic: The Witness," "The Bistro Styx," "Incarnation in Phoenix," and "For Sophie Who'll Be in First Grade in the Year 2000."

The recording fades out while Barbara Johns provides some concluding words, then returns with a brief series of shots of members of the audience in line for the book signing.