[encore] 168: What Does It Say by Tess Gallagher - The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily

Summary

Summary of [Encore] 168: "What Does It Say" by Tess Gallagher

Podcast Information

Title: The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily
Host/Author: American Public Media
Episode: [Encore] 168: What Does It Say by Tess Gallagher
Release Date: May 14, 2025

Introduction In this special encore episode of The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily, host Major Jackson revisits a memorable episode originally hosted by esteemed poet Tracy K. Smith. This archival selection offers listeners a poignant blend of personal narrative and poetic exploration, showcasing the enduring impact of Tess Gallagher’s work.

Host Introduction and Context [00:31] Major Jackson opens the episode by reflecting on the rich history of The Slowdown, highlighting Tracy K. Smith's significant contributions that have shaped the podcast’s identity. He warmly reintroduces listeners to a cherished episode from the vault, setting the stage for a deep dive into Tess Gallagher’s poem "What Does It Say."

Personal Anecdote Connecting to the Poem [01:01] Tracy K. Smith shares a heartfelt personal story that serves as a bridge to Tess Gallagher’s poem. She recounts her experiences with various types of footwear during her college years, emphasizing the sentimental value and durability of her black cowboy boots:

“By the time my sophomore year rolled around, nearly all of those shoes had been replaced by a pair of black cowboy boots... They were worn down at the heel and a coin-sized hole had been worn through each sole.” (01:30)

Smith elaborates on the craftsmanship of her shoe repairman in Brooklyn Heights, illustrating the deep connection between everyday objects and personal memories:

“He built the heels back up and polished them to a high shine, reviving them to their former glory.” (01:45)

This anecdote underscores themes of restoration and resilience, echoing the central motifs of Gallagher’s poem.

Recitation and Analysis of "What Does It Say" by Tess Gallagher [02:15] Tracy transitions to reciting Tess Gallagher’s "What Does It Say," weaving in her own reflections to enhance the listener’s understanding. The poem delves into the intricate relationship between humans and the objects they cherish, symbolizing broader themes of healing and continuity.

Notable Quotes and Insights

On the Role of the Shoe Repairman:

“He who mended suitcases and purse straps, who loved to chat but could turn taciturn.” (03:10)

Smith interprets the repairman as a metaphor for the unsung heroes who sustain our daily lives through their quiet, dedicated work.
On Repair and Hope:

“In your imagination, toward repair, you gave hope and salvage to those without money for new shoes...” (04:20)

This line emphasizes the transformative power of repair, not just on physical objects but on the spirit and hope of individuals.
Philosophical Reflection:

“What, after all, is a world that walks around only in new shoes, that stops asking for a guy like you...” (05:00)

Smith uses this imagery to provoke thought about consumerism and the loss of meaningful connections in a world focused solely on the new and disposable.

Concluding Thoughts [05:50] As the poem concludes, Tracy K. Smith ties the narrative back to her personal experiences, highlighting the universal desire for restoration and the human need to preserve what is meaningful. She eloquently captures the essence of Gallagher’s work, inviting listeners to reflect on their own relationships with the items and memories they hold dear.

Final Reflections [05:56] The episode wraps up with a brief nod to the enduring legacy of The Slowdown, reminding listeners of the podcast’s commitment to featuring both emerging and established poets who inspire and resonate across generations.

Conclusion This encore episode of The Slowdown masterfully intertwines personal storytelling with poetic analysis, offering a rich and engaging experience. Tracy K. Smith’s insightful interpretation of Tess Gallagher’s "What Does It Say" provides listeners with a deeper appreciation of the poem’s exploration of repair, memory, and the human condition.

Notable Timestamps:

[00:31] – Major Jackson introduces the episode and its significance.
[01:01] – Tracy K. Smith begins her personal anecdote about shoes.
[03:10] – Insightful quote on the role of the shoe repairman.
[04:20] – Reflection on repair and hope.
[05:00] – Philosophical musings on consumerism and meaningful connections.

Attributions:

Major Jackson: Host providing context and introductions.
Tracy K. Smith: Original host delivering personal narrative and poem analysis.
Tess Gallagher: Poet whose work "What Does It Say" is featured and analyzed.

Note: Advertisements and non-content sections have been omitted to focus solely on the core material of the episode.

Transcript

Fashion Expert (0:00)

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Major Host (0:31)

Hey there, it's major. As we take a look back at the Slowdown's deep well of episodes, we're revisiting some standout moments from past hosts. Today we're going into the Vault to bring you an episode from Tracy K. Smith, one of the voices that helped shape the Slowdown into what it is today. This is just one of the many special selections from our archives.

Tracy K. Smith (1:01)

I'm Traci Case Smith, and this is the Slowdown. When I packed up for College back in 1990, I took sneakers and loafers. I probably also brought some nerdy deck shoes and maybe even a pair of heels. But by the time my sophomore year rolled around, nearly all of those shoes had been replaced by a pair of black cowboy boots. I wore them every day, even in snow. By the time I came home for the holidays, they were worn down at the heel and a coin sized hole had been worn through each sole. I was afraid I'd have to let them go, but my mother took them to the shoe repairman who resoled them, built the heels back up and polished them to a high shine, reviving them to their former glory. I used to have a great shoe repairman in Brooklyn Heights. He brought a pair of kitten heels back to life. Many a time you need someone you can rely on in a city with abundant cobblestones. But once, in haste, I surrendered a pair of agonizing heels to to a different shop, a watch repair shop with a shoe repair sign in the window. A young man took an inch off the heels, but when I put the shoes back on, the angles were all off. I slipped and tripped. Even my back was out of whack. The shoes had been ruined. These are the stories revived in my mind by today's poem. This is Tess Gallagher's what does it say that the only shoe repairman in town has retired. He who mended suitcases and purse straps, who loved to chat but could turn taciturn. How he laughed over my fondness for shoes that were clearly worn out. Fair weather shoes, he pronounced like a benediction, trying with seasons to extend the life of my loafers. A tall man with nimble fingers on an oversized hand, the gaze surgeon like how I admired your Lazarus revivals for its feet in failing shoes that rule the world barefooted, we had the way of birds equipped from the womb, splashing in puddles, running after dark, bearing our troubles and joys, place to place. Addiction to shoes came later, whether quietly falling apart, coming unglued, or scrubbed down at the heels, they'd still find a dance floor once in a while and shake the body around to remind it how, in or out of shoes, everything depends on the feet. In your imagination, toward repair, you gave hope and salvage to those without money for new shoes or who, like me, had to eke out their days with unmanageable feet, depending on a makeshift tangle of sandals, a few cloth straps stapled to a cork sole, thereby asking you to take up the world of miracles, shoes that had worn themselves to feet until pain took off its hat and stood on the curb. You seemed to connect with us through time, cheating it day after day with small, momentous restorations. And what, after all, is a world that walks around only in new shoes, that stops asking for a guy like you, a man true to this gradually falling apart era, alive to our need to be treated mercifully, our wish to be mended and remended, someone to companion our fragile hopes in the form of these emptied out, unsalvageable steps. The Slowdown is a production of American Public Media in partnership with the Poetry Foundation. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts on the web@arts.gov this Old House has been.