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Mexican poet, Manuel Iris, recently visited the Wilson MFA class to give a talk and a reading. Manuel read, in English and Spanish, from his most recent book, The Parting Present/ Lo Que Se Irá. That evening he held a bilingual reading/workshop at the Coyle Free Library.

When asked about the importance of poetry, Manuel replied "I would prefer to live in a world without engines for cars, than one without lullabies to sing to babies."

Manuel Iris was the poet Laureate Emeritus of the City of Cincinnati, Ohio (2018-2020), had received the “Merida” National award of poetry (Mexico, 2009) for his book Notebook of dreams, and the Rodulfo Figueroa Regional award of poetry for his book The disguises of fire (Mexico, 2014). Manuel has been a presenter at the 51Ʒ�� Creative Writing Colloquium. For more information on Manuel Iris, please visit his website at