Funds for Bookworm are provided in part by Lannin Foundation.

You are a human animal.

You are a very special breed.

Or you are the only animal.

Who can think, who can reason, who can read.

From KCRW, Santa Monica, I'm Michael Silverblatt, and this is Bookworm.

I am very happy to be doing the show today for three reasons.

The first reason is that I'm in New York City for the Penn World Voices Festival. Pen brings from all

over the world writers who I would not otherwise have a chance to talk to. The second reason

I'm happy is that I am at last having the opportunity to pay a tribute to the wonderful publisher's New Directions.

New Directions was founded when Ezra Pound told James Lockland that he would be as much use to the literary community as a publisher, as a poet,

and he published Pound, and he published William Collis Williams,

and he published Tennessee Williams, and I love this publisher,

and during the course of the festival, I'll be talking to three of their writers,

and it's a great honor for me.

The third reason is that my guest today,

Coral Bracho, is a Mexican poet

whose first book is published in America by New Directions.

It's called Firefly Under the Tongue, and its translator is here also.

Forrest Gander is also a wonderful American poet,

and he's done a magnificent translation of this very beautiful book, Firefly Under the Tongue by Corral Bracho.

It is a selection from over eight collections over the years.

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