[encore] 676: Last Sundays at Bootleggers by Carlos Andrés Gómez

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily Episode: [Encore] 676: Last Sundays at Bootleggers by Carlos Andrés Gómez
Release Date: June 11, 2025
Host: Major Jackson
Featured Poet: Ada Limón (Archived Episode)

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Introduction to the Episode

[01:04] Major Jackson welcomes listeners to a special archived episode of The Slowdown. In this installment, Major introduces Ada Limón’s tenure as host, highlighting her "thoughtfulness and deep love of poetry" which "made her time on the show very special." This sets the tone for a reflective and heartfelt session.

Ada Limón’s Reflection

[01:30] Ada Limón takes the stage, sharing personal insights that bridge her past experiences with the present poem. She begins with a contemplative meditation on nostalgia:

“Sometimes when I'm nostalgic from my past, I'm not actually nostalgic for my youth, but for what I thought was my wisdom, for what I thought was my beautiful righteousness.”
— Ada Limón [01:30]

She delves into themes of self-awareness and growth, discussing how her earlier certainty and confidence have evolved over time. Limón reflects on how activities like dancing have been therapeutic and grounding for her:

“But even though I might not feel like I know anything anymore, I do know that dancing still helps me.”
— Ada Limón [03:15]

Limón shares a personal anecdote about sneaking into a club in Seattle, where dancing provided her with a sense of vibrancy and connection:

“I had a boyfriend who was a DJ there and he'd play records and I'd dance all night long until his set was finished. It could be two in the morning, but I wouldn't be tired. I wouldn't be tired.”
— Ada Limón [04:10]

Presentation of the Poem: "Last Sundays at Bootleggers"

Following her reflection, Ada introduces the featured poem, "Last Sundays at Bootleggers" by Carlos Andrés Gómez. She provides context and emotional framing for the listeners:

“Today's poem celebrates that brave swagger of youth, that intoxicating revelry of the club, and the confidence of coming into one's own.”
— Ada Limón [04:20]

Poem Analysis and Themes

"Last Sundays at Bootleggers" vividly captures the essence of youth and the transformative experience of dancing in a club. The poem navigates through memories of adolescence, the allure of music, and the search for identity amidst the chaos of growing up.

Key Themes:

• Nostalgia and Youth: The poem reflects a longing for the past, not just for youth itself but for the perceived wisdom and certainty that came with it.
• Dance as Liberation: Dancing is portrayed as a means of self-discovery and emotional release.
• Community and Connection: The shared experience in the club fosters a sense of belonging and mutual understanding among the youth.

Notable Lines and Quotes

Several poignant lines stand out in Gómez’s poem, emphasizing the sensory and emotional intensity of the moments depicted:

“We sang sour throated and nostalgic for times we hadn't yet lived in unison like we wrote it”
— Carlos Andrés Gómez, Last Sundays at Bootleggers [05:30]

This line underscores the paradox of yearning for a future that hasn't happened, highlighting the universal experience of seeking meaning and connection.

“It all came together like we could remix any wreckage and make it into a stage to slay”
— Carlos Andrés Gómez, Last Sundays at Bootleggers [05:50]

Here, the imagery of remixing wreckage into a performance symbolizes resilience and the creative transformation of life's challenges.

Conclusion and Reflection

[05:45] Major Jackson wraps up the episode by reiterating the collaborative efforts behind The Slowdown, acknowledging partners like the Poetry Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. He encourages listeners to visit the show’s website and engage through social media, fostering a community around daily poetic reflection.

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Final Thoughts

This archived episode featuring Ada Limón offers a profound exploration of personal growth, the enduring impact of art, and the unifying power of poetry. Through reflective storytelling and the evocative verses of Carlos Andrés Gómez, listeners are invited to pause, reflect, and find solace in the shared human experience.

For those who missed this episode, it serves as a timeless reminder of the connections forged through poetry and the daily moments that shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

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Connect with The Slowdown:

• Website: slowdownshow.org
• Instagram: @slowdownshow
• Newsletter Signup: Available on the website

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Produced by APM Studios in partnership with The Poetry Foundation and supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Transcript

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[Major Jackson]

Hey, it's me, Major Jackson. We're reaching into the archive to bring you some of our favorites. Here's one from Ada Limone's tenure as host. Her thoughtfulness and deep love of poetry made her time on the show very special. I hope you enjoy this selection from the archives.

[Ada Limon]

I'm Ada Limon, and this is the Slowdown. Sometimes when I'm nostalgic from my past, I'm not actually nostalgic for my youth, but for what I thought was my wisdom, for what I thought was my beautiful righteousness. I knew so much about life. I knew the problems with the world, and I even knew some of the answers. I knew that when you were too down to want to leave the apartment, you should actually leave the apartment. Or blast music as loud as you can to change your brain waves. I knew that hoop earrings could be a game changer, and heavy eyeliner could make you look prettier while crying. I knew that if you danced, really danced in your bedroom, in your dance class, in the community center, to the local band you liked, you'd start to feel a little better. I miss my old certainty, my know it allness, my confidence, my teenage bluster, my egotistical grandstanding. But even though I might not feel like I know anything anymore, I do know that dancing still helps me. Full confession. I danced this morning. Learned a whole routine and really danced. I do it at least twice a week, and if my body is in pain or my mind is in pain. Dancing is one of the ways I can find myself again. I mean, I can dance in a chair, just sway a little and it can help. I remember once sneaking into a great old club in Seattle while I was underage. Not to drink, but to dance. I had a boyfriend who was a DJ there and he'd play records and I'd dance all night long until his set was finished. It could be two in the morning, but I wouldn't be tired. I wouldn't be tired. Well, because I was young and because dancing made me feel like the whole world was vibrating in me. Today's poem celebrates that brave swagger of youth, that intoxicating revelry of the club, and the confidence of coming into one's own. Last Sundays at Bootleggers by Carlos Andres Gomez My entire wardrobe was Canal street original knockoff, chic, adolescent, sleek in my XXL blue and black bubble jacket. Yeah, I was inside the club and what inside? An oversized coat coated in sweat and Old Spice? A kid eyeing 16 but not quite there? I wanted it all Chico learner's permit, the latest Jordans in baby blue maybe a wink from the pretty Boricua from social studies and when Biggie's verse dropped in only you, he was in that room and teaching us how to live Elevated from that third floor wasteland towering above India Point. So we sang sour throated and nostalgic for times we hadn't yet lived in unison like we wrote it Till our voices cracked and spilled over and between every rift but in the throng of lost kids where I finally found a self I loved it all came together like we could remix any wreckage and make it into a stage to slay so we swayed and grinded like our lives were a music video tribute hip2hip.

[Major Jackson]

The slowdown is a production of American Public Media in partnership with the Poetry Foundation. This project is also supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. On the [e-mail] to get a poem delivered to you daily, go to slowdownshow.org and sign up for our newsletter. Find us on Instagram slowdownshow and bluesky slowdownshow.org.

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Hey, David Brancaccio here. Over the last few months you may have heard me talk about the home that my family lost in the California wildfires this year. Well, I recently chatted about rebuilding our Altadena, California cottage with the team over at this Old House Radio Hour, a radio program and a podcast from American Public Media. So for a tale of new beginning, or if you need any tips for your own home improvement projects. This episode has you covered. You can find episodes of this old House Radio Hour wherever you get your podcasts.