Hello, good afternoon Thank you all for being here what a wonderful turnout on a melancholy December afternoon Jesse, I hope you'll lift our spirits It's really really always always an honor to welcome poets of caliber such as Jesse Poets with such deep Berkeley roots before we get started if everyone could turn off their phones to the degree of Possible would be Wonderful, I want to thank briefly our sponsors as always the English department the library gives us so much support both Numerated and affective and this beautiful space And then the dean's office has been generous in supporting lunch comes so without further ado. Here's our director, Jeffrey G. O'Brien Thank you, Noah and welcome Jesse. Did you have to walk like a couple of hundred yards to get here? I'm gonna talk about rhyme today which is a really dramatic character in Jesse's debut book and tooth available at the back courtesy of Pegasus after the reading Maybe as dramatic a character as the speaker of the poems, although obviously indistinguishable from them to some extent Rhymes near disappearance from poetry is an under accounted for story But it's one that Jesse Nathan's egg tooth Tells via rhyme startling presence in almost all the poems Most of which borrow a stanza form from John Dunn which sutures an ABA be quatrain scheme to CCC Terset Sometimes strict and perfect sometimes merely assonant barely there or temporarily gone I feel the book surveys all the attitudes towards and handlings of rhyme since the 16th century At one point the title poem egg tooth calls this in live end anachronism half medieval Which implies there is another half that is not One that is deliberately and inevitably contemporary the resurrection of this kind of verse Capacity in the time of its embarrassment makes the classical feel radical. It's re-allowed The repetition of this stanza form in so many of the poems in so many variations Also allows readerly expectation To shift from the shock of an initial encounter with such sturdy rhyme That is so out of place and out of time in our moment and turn instead to Bracing familiarity and an intimate tracking of all the possibilities afforded by rhymes loud quiet loud presence here It's also a way of linking personal history with the history of a formal feature dredging up ancient sonic correspondences while also auditing how a person or a poet came to be and comes to be This is a book about development But it will not limit itself to one sense of that word instead preferring to skein together Formal structure personal life and the domination and division of land in the States All of these are forms often painful ones of becoming that egg tooth wants to track At the same time this use of Dunn's rhyming stanza tells a story of discrepancy between then and now between one plan and another a Narrative of near misses and internal riven miss a four and a three That itself rhymes with the book suturing of Kansas and Northern California as sites of development Rhyme is also thus one of the candidates for the books title a little organic disposable tool for getting out of one environment and into another But unlike a baby birds instrument poetry's version never quite drops away here never outlives its usefulness Sometimes this history of rhyme and self can be told in a single tercit sonics as in the last three lines of the title Poem egg tooth which rhyme pay blade and fly Moving from one sensual logic of corresponding to another There are technical reasons why those three words can be said to rhyme But they also rhyme because they've been put in the stanzaic in line positions where we now expect them to That they do is like the book and its account of experience both shocking and normal Which is to say it feels right or to borrow an ancient word that the book uses twice Nathan here makes rhyme writing Please help me in welcoming Jassi Nathan Thanks, Jeffrey. That was beautiful and and thanks Noah and everyone for being here today It's it's it's really quite a sight to see all of you new faces friendly faces It's it's a special thing this this series. I Think it's fair to say that I grew up as a poet in this room in this Reading series lunch poems so many amazing poets over the years that I got to see here Robin Blazer, Sufya Sinclair, Linda Gregerson the list just goes on and on and Fadi Judah so it's it's it's really it Amazing to take a place here at this podium and to be able to read from egg tooth The book moves back and forth between Northern California and rural Kansas like my life so the poems Go back and forth and I'll read I'll read it a few from these different worlds Start with a straw refrain, which is a little song that opens the book Song of a hot day of losing your mind on a hot day straw refrain young gray cat Puddled under the boxwood Only the eyes alert oppressed to dirt That hiss the hiss of grasses hissing what should what should blank road shimmers on days like this my mind you hardly seem to be on days like these No, no see that side long silver drum that his is a sigh of the propane tank two o'clock you can smell it Don't breathe that sigh The creeks gone dry Summer as wide as the wildered sky days like this my mind You hardly seem to be straw frail No breeze you had a theory that the birds would silence on a day like this But the mockers keenness and the king bird and the virios commenced to warble on as heat bears down a day like this My mind you hardly seem to be you road You creak When I was small the farmhouse that we lived in was struck by lightning and if it Wouldn't have been so terrifying it it would have been exciting His poem is called shock As the storm moved in I watched the night sky before I slept A biblical clap woke the house to sprays of sheetrock a powdered sprite springing from the nail heads air flavored with ozone In the hallway on the ceiling a halo grew orange around a fixture a glow And dad on the phone downstairs now shepherding the young ones out to shelter in the soap house and mom Who's usually sharp as a crack fumbling in the pandemonium at the extinguisher So I small and spry some ways slithered in up the crawl space and find a burning fan Not just that fire fanged attic fan Wire floor rags even wall studs chuckle in those flames a company that almost comforts Until I gag on smoke or fear and jerk the pin and aim a sweep of foam Blonde as bone until it's dark and I'm alone Some say it was lightning in a mineral bisque that triggered first life Grandpa said in 1933. He lost six head his life savings to one strike And I in the soap house later with an emt Would sense in the rafters swallows veer loop follow as if a shadow had a shadow in that corner of the prairie That my mother is from and which I landed when I was 10 years old with the rest of my family the the Mennonites of which my mom is a Descended of comes out of that community Still practice a ritual called foot washing That goes back to biblical times the idea being that you might greet a stranger by washing their feet If you've ever had your your feet washed It's it's a strange and intimate and kind of wonderful experience and the idea is that that if a group of people a congregation practices this once a year or so It might be a good way to begin to break down barriers between different people so it's It's it's that tradition that gives gives rise to this poem foot washers stout as a dance hall white clappard and square It stood between fields a short piece from town bordered by gravel a butt by god's acre this roominess anchored by pews Through which wound mother and her special vamps and daddy and his monk straps to wear a line of basin's weight Warmish water lapping in the linen towels drape where feet of different walks have gathered Footfoundered and fit alike for each soul to cradle Dows and bathe their right hand neighbors heel instep digits found immaculate or blooming lint Or faint funk or toenail paint Footloose snail mangled imp Most everybody's here There's auntie who pronounces it pleasure as she communes with sue the drama coach and uncle who keeps fake owls In the garden who quizzes tom the sheriff who's ticklish as he sprinkles his toes And down at heel justin who yesterday hunted mallards up a slew Splays his shovels to a wing tipped banker And there there I am Turning over a word in my head catenary Word for parabolas that fountains form word for the you a necklace makes curve And upside down arch as I towel off a sprouting cousin's fallen arches ankle bone All 33 joints known and unknown that carry me away from home poem about leaving that place driving And arriving in this this place About that that the way the land changes across that expanse of the western united states This is a poem also that um Make some use of the fact that the the earliest human Remains that archaeologists and anthropologists have looked at Have tattoos on top of scars And so this is if you draw rightly on a wound It might brighten and so And so they drive Over arid floors of long departed seas And up with the land's ramp off the continental shield They witness the mural of mountains emerge And they span the north plat near the train bridge trusses career in the wind boom of trucks through basin past bluff straight through No, no they they stop at a tattooist's hut What for why to mark themselves for themselves? Is it their first Yes, and they what is it of he gets a barn swallow. She gets a spiral Where his shoulder her ankle? And what do they mean? So many questions I don't know, but ink as blue as bruises may be a kind of trust sealed and believed And does it hurt? Of course It seeps with dew drops of blood Why did they do it? Charmed? Armor? Maybe certain pain is meditative? Are they happy? Well, they have a long hug And after that They drive till they arrive at the city Soft sky Trees mighty Busy bridges festooning the night A lot of this book was was written While I was living in the sunset district Which I always think of as kind of a Beach town attached to san francisco A different pace there and because there are no major freeways It hasn't um gotten developed quite the same way And and nearby was golden gate park The lung of the city and I would wander around there and and and this poem is a kind of postcard from the wonderful plaza That some of you many of you probably know well between the science museum and the art museum And it has a little epigraph From chest of miwosha's poem bypassing rue Descartes I entered the universal dazzled And desiring Not a gathering She says A milieu She'd made cake Orange cinnamon with dates from a tenesian recipe And we savor it on a bench lulling with midday in a plaza of plain trees and fountains Knee deep while strangers of a mind to meander meander Milieu she muses from a term for medium Plus a word for place This in the place of the dog whose size asleep in equitable sunshine Of the ukulele variations in over the rainbow of the elder who styles a baggie a glove to bust his frenchies or dur of the checker spot Breathing on the pollarded knees of a plain tree of the shaggy lady who lives in this commons these commons of sand and cement all the voices and feet they've absorbed all the rickety easels of nudes sprawled amid strollers trikes Not a bleed of car alarm She wiggles free of her shoes remembers a coyote we've seen weaving through after dark on a beat Pausing in the band shell to sniff the concrete the book ends um on a on a poem that Connects these two worlds by way of the telephone And it's called this long distance. The other thing I guess I'll say is that um, I Have heard recently that the sutro tower when it was first developed this Radio tower in the center of san francisco was Was reviled as a kind of blemish on the the skyline Living nearby it. I sort of had a different feeling. There was something strangely I don't know comforting is the word For that blinking figure Which appears in this poem this long distance sunday In his grandmother's time Had been the day you went visiting Noontime news topped with beet borscht and pickled pig's feet cottage cheese stuffed in pancakes and spudding silly talk and coffee His art with his hopes had conspired to conduct him many states away But even now when sunday's here he calls his kin And when he'd call his parents his dad would begin with weather Five inches since friday's seven and three tenths since monday. It may even hawk up more And his mother would in vay or other times dial up other Composings first frost came so he picked up the hoses slid the barn door closed any minute now will get fresh straw for the stalls Or she'd say how they butchered the hens one had a clot of new eggs in her ready to lay Or she might tell stories of aunt larry who never married and carried a snuff box Or dad would describe having recycled faxes that had blankened each message returned to the ether And then the sun might describe a minus tide Or tell how his shoulder tattooed has haired over as if his swallow flies in a thicket Or he'd ask how low is the well or which kind of locust again is the swing tree And so forth they'd sneeze cough Mentioned the soap house had had to be raised or that cat the catamaran was trounced in a squall or how their bodies Were giving out an organ recital they'd call it And he drinking coffee might offer as balm the lights up the hills and the night in his city Described as the winkings of great piles of embers And his mother might report on emerald leaves emerald wheat High leaning cloud banks or his father might say that the starlings were mustering the pasture They could murder if they wanted And the sun Not really sure what then to say Says an iconic radio tower from where he sits presents like a comb jelly And they who in his imagination are in the dining room. He knows well Hold up their phone up against the back window to let him hear the call So personal and clear of the train out there a couple of very short poems about trees One in the voice of a tree and one addressed to a tree The eastern red cedar is indeed indigenous to kansas There's actually a piece in the times today about how it's without the check of fire and the buffalo Is now kind of taking over the prairie A green glacier they called it moving through the land, but it is rather hearty and There's a particular old cedar on the farm And this is what the cedar may have said If I were half as free as you I wouldn't droop Make faces of parchment Shed branches like phantoms wouldn't hide a heart of soft scarlet If you were half as free as me you wouldn't go You who leave not once like guests But over and over like friends And a california Tree Canary island date palm now a california tree I couldn't say the dream I had last night But I might start by saying your dates were motionless in a breeze almost orange like bittersweet almost yellow like bittersweet an egg tooth As jeffrey alluded to is is a a bit of cartilage that forms on a baby bird's beak in the egg And they use it It has one purpose and that is to break out break through that shell and and and once Once hatching is completed it disappears it evaporates a figure That that came to seem very important as I was Putting this first book of poems together slowly through the years a figure for emergence um And as this was happening I was becoming obsessed with obsessed by this seven line stanza that much of the book is written in That that comes out of john dunne's work and eventually fairly late in the process it seemed to me that um, I was having A a fairly direct hallucinated conversation with mr. Dunne And so this is the title poem egg tooth and so at last spoke john dunne's ghost leaned up out of my book and nearly bit me Seven he says sponsors creation, but also vice Three and four holy, but three marks the roosters count His face was gold pounded thin I say use me like an egg tooth Break the shell that shields you let me be the germ hoarder of calcium the bulb of sharp caruncle Expression of beak of horn that makes a toothlet to snout thrust a barb To barb what's chipped away by the very thing maintained and encased enamel glaze grades the puncturer's tool So draw your breath by drawing a hole Use my imbalanced device Half medieval to shuck frank death as you surge with goodbye As you fast and breathe and pay supposing the face a blade sustained to sing and to fly the metaphor The framing that often Gets deployed when talking about the the middle part of this country that vast expanse of of prairie is one of emptiness flyover country And it's that same story that has been used For many centuries now to justify things like colonizing that land This this sense that well, it's empty We'll improve it. We'll fill it And and that story Began to bother me more and more and and the the poem that I want to read now and and leave you with Is a kind of dissent on that story There's there's really so much If you get close The other thing that that began to happen as I as I worked in this Rather constricting stanza was that a kind of free verse voice was also pushing its way out I grew up in the free verse tradition And so this is a poem in which that collision is in some ways, I think mirrored in the the Interactions between the the grids that european settlers brought to the prairie and the meandering movement of the streams Which follow their own logic and The world of of of those two places collides All all across the the prairie, but it's especially Visible in a strange way if you follow the the creeks and sometimes I would Wander along the creek beds and It's a different world there because it's outside of the human The settled human area The the turtles are enormous the the wildlife has a kind of abundance That makes me think of places like the dm the demilitarized zone or Chernobyl where Left to its own devices nature has claimed this space. So that those move through the prairie. It's it's called a prairie woodland And it's a kind of between world At one point. I thought the book would be called between states So much of it is as jeffrey pointed out Between between kansas and california Between the prairie and the woods Between my jewish heritage and my menonite heritage This is between states And the little epigraph is walking the creek springtime I'm remembering It took 20 minutes for the local firefighters to reach us the night the lightning got the attic blazing Long enough to take a bath I'm remembering as the road greater growls by somewhere It's unremitting blade leveling the sand of a road bunched and rutted stopping the land from taking it back Stopping it in the language of a straight line And i'm remembering how someone used to toss bushlight empties down our crushed limestone drive Thrown from a passing pickup cans silver glossed azure and partially crushed Imagining the hush of the creek bed in winter's crust ice sounding off But it's april And april is stingy nettles sneeze weed and terse breezes wide awake skies vain blue tulips I'm remembering a rainstorm mudding the road even as i pedaled home left the bike Ran soaking through fields following the lips of the waterway that appeared articulate Weirdly lit up in lightning Imagining roma my grandmother heard in the pasture as a child. They would canvas the farmhouse barter for milk At dusk the calls of their children Imagining people before that who tracked this route may be camped on these banks fished Called out to a friend a strategy or result could eat what they caught without second thought I'm remembering the placard in the half ring of fading pines off old 81 Describing a people who must have had scores of words for zephyr People who say the translators could sing my children when at first I liked the whites my children When at first I liked the whites I gave them fruits my children A people whom the white government sent surveyors to to establish a trail's way through these parts My aunt used to sing when the prince wants an apple he takes the tree And the envoy arrived in the grass sea to weadle the osage and the caw offering $800 in a few saddles for a promise of permanent free passage Local trapper as translator he the best they could scare up his caw sketchy at best And I'm imagining my relatives soon flooding in with cabinet and poppy seed bonnet and spring tooth Hope chest and hedgerow they're book full of martyrs Dear is a mirror and quilts made in the drunkard's path by hands that wouldn't hold a drink Obsessed and kind selectively Women and men enough of whom must have believed when they were told to hallucinate a past to quell a present Told these are the gardens of the desert these the unshorn fields boundless In blank verse it was home to a race that long has passed away in a forgotten language and old tunes all is gone Though the actual act of emptying was actually still happening Even as they set to plowing that first time like plowing a doormat the sod Rent open with a sound like a zipper harrowing reaping Shocking threshing, which is to say by 1846 the caw were penned in reserves by 1873 pushed out of state and by 1876 Boundaries forced marches monoculture my four parents by the powers are granted swaths of so-called open land to open up And I'm imagining first of all much water under no bridges The streams like this they would have seen foaming with fish peppered with turtle An opus of bird song they'd have heard and maybe heard also of two men who set out from the northeast border Killing 800 wolves before they reached the smoky hill river And i'm seeing buffalo 10 000 killed in one hunt in 1882 by men with sharps As I watch a black bull corral the herd in the paddock i'm threading through whose hump is a massive Whose head is low so his body's like a road grader The droves rambunctious and nervous as they quick march They must have heard me in the underbrush or they've heard and seen this gleaner Roadbound dust comet traversing one of these little concrete lime and clay bridges That's all the speaking these roads and creeks are want to do with one another And when it's gone And the cattle gone and the air cleaner The quietude I think not strange and empty The creek not foaming with dace but cocoa brown with topsoil the ground greened over by recent rain A clown faced cloud somersaulting slowly as a contrail Punctures her nose plain proving a scratch that dissolves on the cosmic glass Frail trace of cities I'm down here imagining the chaff in the air of olden times and a people my mothers who must have believed the line That these contours were theirs to grid grounds theirs years before they landed this gift outright blank Still un-storied artless unenhanced for the taking like a creeper takes that cottonwood by the ears Takes what it wants while still giving an impression of peace to a poet having a sit before he blunders on with his egg lob Passing not through a prairie Not through a woodland but through a prairie woodland technical term for this band of life Woods along streams surrounded by oceans of grass I'm remembering the way flying in the creeks seem to cross the gridded lines the roads like veins over graph paper Which natives and settlers relied on spotted afar to locate What water there was among networks of vines and tough shrubs that clinch these muddy lips This mustache of canopied verter running a few feet on either bank a curt succession From love grass drop seed blue stem to great big trees rising from abominable desolation said odin Where nothing points though it happens to be home to ladies slipper and pheasant and kingfisher and windmill grass And what are states to them? What are states to bobcat and nitrogen eating bacteria? and dung beetle and race runner And sunflower to carpets of sorghum Beans cornfields replete with large centipedes machines woodland a slender band of betweenness Whose meandering logic seems but he's not whimsy through the subsoil Of course, this state already had a song had reverie Had chance going forth like how the Pony would sing before battle. Let us see is this real Let us see is this real Let us see Is this real this life that I am living I'm looking where a log points a slippery log that makes its point over the real froth as I waiver between real banks To the real knob the trunk lands upon this land of lightning bug and common gray moth of the misnamed prairie dog Not canine but squirrel the metal arc not any kind of lark the horn toad not toad but spiked lizard The jackrabbit truly a hare the prairie chicken truly a grouse the locust a false acacia Even the buffalo were really a species of bison, but in their crush to have and sow the place I can picture the settler's faces and sometime glee as they attach their names to things like cathlinite Pipestone maroon erratic tracked in on the feet of glaciers crushing spruce forests used and called what by first peoples For carving pipes fine grained soft picked up by my loner grandmother who'd pick over roadsides Scour the gravel drive for wheat-sized one-celled fusillinids searching them out as if divinities slept in minerals In chips of meteorite and shark teeth And i'm remembering that it wasn't the land that carved me apart but a system of culture A school of flak from an elder if you couldn't pull a straight furrow Whose term for the leftover corners of wheat left standing at the cambered angle of a turning combines path was jews I'm remembering someone saying he hadn't done his jews yet And i'm imagining the neighbor in a case hat sweating as he forces the waterway in his field to flow straight The trenches out the curves taught us the meander to get a few more acres of arable land Plow the dew under went the old saying Meaning get out there early and turn the soil a culture of extraction Displacing itself its sports teams called the pipelineers and the threshers the wells failing The farms drying up the schools consolidating and i'm remembering mine was a school of milk all over my locker Of laying tacks on an outcast's chair the usual cruelty With a rural edge remembering that I who got kicked in the spine had my own complicities in the unstated contract of freaks for export only All that projected emptiness Only the land was always a solace I recall it as I crossed now under a bridge at the bend in the road that was a town called empire Erased felt one newcomer to the prairie blotted out I've always loved that unroomed vertigo a sky that swallows you and I hear again the greater hacking somewhere back around the section His angled blade a bomb to the quadrangles party Which gave us passable roads and the persistence of windmills He's following the lattice work his ancestors laid over branchings of stream and river Which look from above like leafless trees Or paint peeling or like cracks in a wall Eternal prairie and grass with occasional groups of trees fremont prefers this to every other landscape Charles pruce wrote on their way to taking california to me it's as if someone would prefer a book of blank pages And always I want to linger in those pages But I'm imagining the tension between singing and the journey Remembering people I knew who worked red eyes at the hatchery in the nearby town who'd brag of killing runts in creative ways Knocking them to slime Candice carmen and the hacker boys figures grown up with who don't know what figures they seem for whiteness and sex and bored destruction I'm remembering some uncle saying best not to marry on the other side of the creek What I say a border is also a world zone of cottonwood Hackberry luxurious weeds towering in scarcely a human presence a golden haze where monarchs lunge and bounce In private liberated gloom that must from above look like giant interlocking hooks I'm imagining the bobo lynx view who flies with the aid of the stars how a month ago the stream was ice How an hour ago a mare was stretching her neck over barbed wire fences for the sweeter grass And I'm imagining these stingy nettles in my path Electrify my shins imagining my stanza standing for the grid within me While my lines run on like creeks across pastors beneath a huge sun of remembering Already halved by the line of the land land half imagined half vanished as a fog comes not upon the earth But out of it Thank you. Oh, wow. What music and what control Jesse? Um a vein on graph paper.  Um If you want more symphonic monody, I encourage everyone to pick up Jesse's book Pegasus Has it in the back there? It's really it's really an achievement. Um On your way out if you want to sign up for our mailing list, there's a sign up sheet over there Um, we'll be convening in February for Courtney Fay Taylor. Uh, what will be our next reading? And if you want to review this reading or any other lunch poms reading, we have an active youtube archive Um, thank you all for being here today by books. Thank jesse. Thanks to the library and thanks to you Um, and thanks to bob haas our founder who's in the audience here today


Snapshots from 1998, a season of greatness. After an ankle injury caused him to miss 118 games, Chili Davis returned down the stretch of the regular season and then made his presence felt in the playoffs. His home run in Game 5 of the ALCS October 11th, kept the Yankees scoring in a 5-3 win over Cleveland.


Welcome to the Medal of Honor Induction Ceremony in honor of First Lieutenant Garland M. Connor, United States Army. Lieutenant Connor was presented our nation's highest and most prestigious award for valor by the President of the United States, the Medal of Honor. This afternoon, he will formally be inducted into the Pentagon's most sacred place, the Hall of Heroes. Our hosts for today's ceremony are the Deputy Secretary of Defense, the Honorable Patrick M. Shanahan, the Secretary of the Army, the Honorable Mark T. Esper, the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, General James C. McConville, and the Sergeant Major of the Army, Daniel A. Daly. Ladies and gentlemen, please stand for the arrival of the official party and remain standing for the singing of our national anthem by Master Sergeant Neil Iwakiu and the invocation delivered by Chaplain Paul Hurley. Let us pray, Almighty God, we begin today in thanks for this gift of time. Together we remember and honor your gift of courage that we recall in the life of Lieutenant Garland Connor. We ask that his selfless acts of love for his brothers in arms will nourish us, will inspire us, our Army, our nation, to act with courage and strength, to overcome all fear, all adversity, all obstacles we face, bless the family of Lieutenant Connor and all who loved him and supported him to become an American hero, protect all our American forces this day and their families in all days. Amen. Please be seated. Ladies and gentlemen, General McConville. Well, good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Secretary Shanahan, Secretary Esper, Sergeant Major of the Army, and a special welcome to the Connor family. You honor us with your presence. Thank you for joining us today, the honor, the heroism of Lieutenant Garland Merle Connor. Yesterday, with the official award of the Medal of Honor, Merle joined a distinguished group of national heroes who displayed conspicuous gallantry above the call of duty under extraordinary circumstances. As we honor Merle today, we also want to thank Merle's wife, Pauline, their son, Paul, Richard Chilton, Walter Hattuck, Luther Connor, and the dozens of veterans, historians, politicians, and the thousands of schoolchildren who worked so hard over so many years to ensure that Merle's heroic actions were properly recognized. Thank you for your unwavering dedication to the cause. And although this recognition comes late, it would not have come without all of your efforts. And although this award is nearly 73 years overdue, it's never too late to do the right thing. They say they should never judge a book by its cover. And this is particularly true about Lieutenant Connor. Average in stature about 5'7", 120 pounds. And Pauline, I won't say how you described him in this audience. But Merle was a quiet and unassuming man. And though he wasn't huge in size, he was a giant when it came to courage and when it came to character. And like many of the heroes of his generation, he never talked about what he did. His quiet exterior masked a tough inner core. He was born in 1990 and raised in a great state of Kentucky. His formal education ended at the eighth grade in a one-room schoolhouse. But despite his lack of formal schooling, Merle knew the important things. He knew how to hunt. And as he grew up, he had a hunt for survival. He had a hunt for his family. He was disciplined. He was resilient and he was resourceful. He served with the Civilian Conservation Corps until March 1941. And then he entered the Army at Fort Lewis, Washington. He completed basic training. He was assigned to K Company, Third Battalion, Seventh Infantry Regiment, the Third Infantry Division. And with basic training complete, the Army quickly put Merle on a transport and sent him off to war. He served on the front lines for more than 28 months in 10 major campaigns. And as the Third Infantry Division fought its way north from North Africa through Sicily, Italy and southern France, Merle gained a reputation as an exceptionally brave and heroic man. Think about this. He was wounded seven times in combat, yet he continued to fight. He was recognized with four silver stars, three purple hearts, and he didn't get a purple heart for every wound because he just didn't really seem to care about medals at that time. And yet, but his heroism and fearless leadership earned him a battlefield commission. And if you lead the history, he was revered by his soldiers. And he was recovering from a recent wound and due to return home soon. And Merle was working in the battalion headquarters as an intelligence officer on that day in January of 1945 when the Germans attacked the front left flank of the Seventh Infantry Regiment with more than 600 infantrymen, six tanks, and some tank destroyers. And Merle was only thinking about what the tanks could do to his battalion command post. Remember, he was in the rear right now and with no regard for his own life, he volunteered to direct artillery fire on the enemy. Now he could have done that from the rear, but he chose to go to the front. He ran 400 yards through enemy artillery fire and shrapnel, unrolling a telephone wire behind him for communications with the battalion command post. And then for more than three hours, under nearly constant heavy machine-gun fire and small arms, Merle directed friendly artillery onto the enemy from a shallow dish. Eyewitnesses later described the ditch as less than one foot deep and barely wide enough for Merle to wedge himself into. When you think about what Merle must have endured during those three hours is unimaginable. It was winter and bitterly cold. German infantry advanced to within five yards position and nearly surrounded him, yet Merle continued to call artillery onto the enemy and even on his position. He was only focused in stopping the enemy and Merle's artillery barrage has broke the enemy's momentum, stopping that enemy attack. And he assured the safety of his own battalion and prevented an unknowable number of friendly casualties. It's difficult to know what to say in the face of such exceptional bravery and selfishness. There were men, fathers, sons, and husbands who lived another day because of what Merle did on that day. There are children and grandchildren who exist because of Merle's actions. His courageousness, holy disregarding himself in the risk of his own life, was well above the call of duty. His legacy inspires us and will continue to inspire future generations of America. Thank you for being here today and please join me in welcoming the Secretary of the Army, Dr. Mark Esper. Well thank you, General McConville. First, let me welcome also all the distinguished guests who have joined us here for this long overdue recognition. Today we play tribute to Lieutenant Garland Merle Connor, whose actions outside Hausson, France, over 73 years ago are finally being recognized for what they are. Worthy of the highest and most prestigious military direct decoration awarded for acts of valor. A very warm welcome today to Merle's family, his wife Pauline, his son Paul, and Paul I'm struck by the resemblance to your father that we see on both screens here. Paul's wife Kathy, Merle's four grandchildren and his four great-grandchildren and I see they're much better shape now, aren't they, after lunch. Pauline, I want to thank you again for working tirelessly over the years for making this week this day possible. I know it's been a long road but we are finally able to pay Merle the recognition he deserves. To Richard Chilton, thank you for helping with this campaign since 1996 after learning of Merle's incredible accomplishments. To Walton, Haddix, and Luther Connor, you have both been vital to keeping this long journey moving forward so thank you for your persistence. Many others have played an important role in this incredible story as well. A story of a young man from a small town in Kentucky who answered the call to service in World War II like so many others from this greatest generation. A story of a man who endured 28, 28 consecutive months of combat in some of the most brutal fighting conditions our army has ever ever seen. A story of a man who was wounded seven times in combat and always found his way back to the front lines. And a story of a man who on January 24th 1945 and in complete disregard for his own life moved to a position forward of friendly lines. While under constant enemy fire Merle directed continuous artillery fire for three hours against the enemy force. And when the Germans advanced within a few yards of his location Merle directed friendly artillery fire onto his own position resolve to die if necessary in order to halt the enemy attack. These actions undoubtedly prevented his unit from taking heavy, heavy casualties. Yes this is the story of an American war hero akin to the likes of Audie Murphy and Sergeant York both of whom Merle and Pauline knew. But there's also another part of that story that I wish to tell today. It's the part of the story that is less well known and far more subtle. It's the story of Merle Connor's character and his values embodied in humility and selfless service. I'd done what I had to do and that's all there is to it. This was the response that Merle often gave when pressed to talk about his experiences in the war. Not one to brag about his heroics Merle simply thought he did what he was expected of him as a soldier fighting for his country. Even when his town organized a welcome home parade in his honor and asked him to speak to the crowd Merle chose to highlight his unit's achievements just like we spoke about earlier Pauline. He said nothing about his personal valor or the circumstances behind the distinguished cross service cross he was awarded four silver stars three purple hearts and the bronze star that he was awarded. For many years after the end of World War II even Merle's closest friends and family knew little of the actual details of his experiences and achievements. Merle seemed to just want to live a common life. He and Pauline married started a farm and raised a family. But as we all know today Merle was anything but common. Major General Lloyd Ramsey Merle's battalion commander during the war remarked at the conclusion of his career that Lieutenant Connor was quote the most outstanding soldier I've had the privilege of commanding unquote. An impressive statement from a man whose army career leading soldiers spanned 34 years and three wars. Despite Merle's common reframe when questioned about the war they simply done what I had to do we now know that he did far more than his country could ever expect him to do. It's clearly he placed the well-being of his fellow soldiers above his own characteristic of a true servant leader and his service to his fellow soldiers didn't stop after the war ended. In the later years of his life Merle with Pauline's support worked tirelessly to help disabled veterans receive their pension benefits and effort Pauline continues to this day. It should be no surprise to anyone who is familiar with Merle's combat record that he devoted so much of his own time to the service of others. Soldiers who rise above the call of duty during the most trying of circumstances draw on a well values that gives them strength. These are the same values that built our great nation hard work duty selflessness determination honor and compassion among others. Merle demonstrated these traits not only in war but throughout his life and although he served during a time when our army still was developing as a profession he demonstrated the values that define our army today. Merle would leave these values throughout his life. Paul as you recounted so well in the Medal of Honor video that was released last week your father's teachings were simple but direct. Do what you say you're going to do if you promise something fulfill your promise. These basic tenets define Merle as a man as an American and as a soldier and they guided him throughout the rigors of combat building trust between him and his men. As Maurice Williams one of Merle's soldiers stated after the war quote we would have followed him anywhere he wanted to go. It's a true testament to Merle's leadership. It is unfortunate that Merle did not receive this award before his passing in 1998 but I'm honored that Pauline Paul and many other family members joined us today to witness Merle inducted into the Hall of Heroes. I can only hope that by properly honoring Lieutenant Conner and calling attention to his sacrifices bravery and achievements that a new generation of Americans will be inspired to serve their communities and their country. Merle is an incredible example of all that is great about America. He represents the very best of our nation and our army. It is clear that he had a significant impact on so many people throughout his life not least of which were the men of the Third Battalion Seventh Infantry Regiment many whose lives were saved because of Merle's heroism. And while the Medal of Honor reflects Merle's valor and courage on that day it also exposes a lifetime of selfless service to his community our veterans and our country. Over these past two days we have had the chance to fully recognize Garland Merle Conner. We finally got it right. Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible. I'd now like to welcome to the stage the Deputy Secretary of Defense the Honorable Patrick Shanahan. Dr.  Okay good and I'll go off script just for a second. I know ever there are a lot of people to recognize and I would just like to acknowledge all the guests and and our teammates here but maybe just a special recognition to Pauline and her wonderful son Paul. It's my birthday today and so I got to hang out with Pauline and Paul in my office and I got a kiss from Pauline so whatever you do don't tell the president. So anyways our our secret so anyways as General Mcconville said this is this day is long overdue. I take every day working here as a blessing but some days are better than others. Some days allow us the time and space to acknowledge the meaningfulness of our military's work and the extraordinary fortitude of the select few who earn our nation's highest distinction for valor in combat. Today is one of those days the Medal of Honor is not a passive achievement it is recognition of the bravest actions. It honors the selflessness of those who go above and beyond the call of duty. Honor and selflessness two words we use quite often in this department to describe the brave men and women who go into harm's way to protect our nation's freedoms but how often do we pause to reflect on their meaning for who can truly understand the honor and selflessness it took for Lieutenant Connor to do what he did back in January of 1945. The honor and selflessness it took to slip out of a hospital with a still healing hip injury to return to the front line alongside his brothers in arms to run into the heart of a fierce enemy assault. The honor and selflessness it took to hold his vulnerable position for three hours mere feet away from the ferocious german enemy to direct fire to his own position fully accepting the high likelihood he would be killed as a result. Lieutenant Connor's actions in the heat of battle are the true embodiment of all that our men and women in uniform strive to achieve. Merle didn't acquire his selfless character in boot camp at Fort Lewis. He didn't learn it as he fought across North Africa Italy and France. You can't teach that type of character you either have it or you don't and Merle certainly did. This character followed Merle well after his service in the army that ended in 1945. All who knew him describe him as a humble quiet man never won to brag about anything let alone what happened in the war. At his welcome home parade in Kentucky Merle spoke to the good people of Clinton County about his time overseas. Other soldiers might have seized the opportunity to boast in front of such a captive audience eager to hear tales of triumph over the Nazis but as Secretary Esper mentioned Merle kept accounts of his courageous deeds to himself opting instead to describe the campaigns and praise his superior's operational planning yet his words made an impression on the audience that day they caught the attention of another war hero in the crowd Sergeant Alvin York the most decorated soldier of the first world war sparking a lifelong friendship between those who shared what former Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes has termed the incommunicable experience of war. As a testament to the bond formed between those two kindred spirits we are honored to welcome some members of Sergeant York's family here today. At his parade in 1945 Merle's words also made an impression on another person his bride to be Pauline. They married shortly after and raised their son Paul on the same land Merle's great great grandfather Lawrence Connor had tilled a century and a half before. Land granted to the Connor family following Lawrence's own service to this nation in its very infancy under General Washington's command. For decades Merle Pauline and Paul lived a quiet tobacco farming life. Merle dedicated his life to helping others both those he knew and those he didn't just as he had in the war he spent his time bettering the lives of other veterans helping himself find peace along the way. He offered support to family and friends whenever they needed it donating countless hours of time to a second cousin Luther's run for office. For example even switching his registered political party so he could vote for him unbeknownst to Luther until much later. As a mark of the humble man he was Merle never hinted there was more to tell about his time in the army. He kept his distinguished service crosses purple hearts his bronze and silver stars packed away in a bag stored in a closet assuming they would never see the light of day again. Only when Richard Chilton came along hoping to learn a little bit more about his uncle's service did Merle's actions return to the light. Ever since it has been a testament to Merle's character that others have worked so diligently and tirelessly to make sure he gets the recognition he deserves. His actions on January 24th 1945 spoke volumes about Merle not just the soldier but as a person. His humility is inspiring his unassuming heroism a pillar of all our army and military stand for service above self. As Secretary Esper said before of his actions in the war Merle simply said I'd done what I had to do that's all there is to it. Now the nation has done what it needed to do to honor this incredible soldier. Thank you to all who played a part in making this momentous day a reality. I'm proud to be a part of it. Ladies and gentlemen please remain seated during the presentations. The President of the United States of America, authorized by active congress March 3rd 1863, has awarded in the name of congress the Medal of Honor to First Lieutenant Garland M. Connor United States Army for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. First Lieutenant Garland M. Connor distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity while serving with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. On the morning of January 24th 1945 near the town of Hussain, France, German forces ferociously counterattacked the front left flank of the 7th Infantry Regiment with 600 infantry troops, six mark six tanks and tank destroyers. Lieutenant Connor, having recently returned to his unit after recovering from a wound received in an earlier battle, was working as the intelligence officer in the 3rd Battalion command post at the time of the attack. Understanding the devastating effect that the advancing enemy armor could have on battalion, Lieutenant Connor immediately volunteered to run straight into the heart of the enemy assault to get to a position from which he could direct friendly artillery on the advancing enemy forces.  Upon reaching the battalion's front line, he continued to move forward under enemy assault to a position 30 yards in front of the defending United States forces, where he plunged into a shallow ditch that provided minimal protection from the advancing enemy's heavy machine gun and small arms fire. With rounds impacting all around him, Lieutenant Connor calmly directed multiple fire missions, adjusting round after round of artillery from his prone position until the enemy was forced to halt its advance and seek cover behind a nearby dyke. For three hours, Lieutenant Connor remained in this compromised position and during the repeated onslaught of German infantry, which at one point advanced to within five yards of his position. As German infantry regrouped and began to mass in an overwhelming assault, Lieutenant Connor ordered friendly artillery to concentrate directly on his own position, having resolved to die if necessary to destroy the enemy advance. Ignoring the friendly artillery shells blanketing his position and exploding mere feet from him, Lieutenant Connor continued to direct artillery fire on the enemy assault, swarming around him until the German attack was finally broken. By his heroism and disregard for his own life, Lieutenant Connor stopped the enemy advance. The artillery he expertly directed while under constant enemy fire killed approximately 50 German soldiers and mooted an estimated 100 more, preventing what have been undoubtedly heavy friendly casualties. His actions are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 3rd Infantry Division and the United States Army. At this time, the Medal of Honor flag will be presented to Mrs. Connor. On 23rd October 2002, Public Law 107-248, Section 8143 established the Medal of Honor flag to recognize service members who have distinguished themselves by gallantry in action above and beyond the call of duty. The Medal of Honor flag commemorates the sacrifice and bloodshed for our freedoms and gives emphasis to the Medal of Honor being the highest award for valor by an individual serving in the armed forces of the United States. The light blue color with the gold fringe bearing 13 white stars are adapted from the Medal of Honor ribbon. The Medal of Honor plaque will now be unveiled, inducting 1st Lieutenant Connor into the Hall of Heroes. Thank you Deputy Secretary Shanahan, Secretary Esper, General McConville and Sergeant Major Daly. Ladies and gentlemen, Mrs. Pauline Connor. Don't be surprised I'm not much of a speaker. I am so honored to be here with my family and friends. To the many distinguished leaders and guests, thank you for making this occasion so memorable. I'm here today because of my late husband's bravery years ago and because many people worked hard to get Murl the recognition he deserved. Our only child, Paul, his wife Kathy, their four children and four grandchildren are all present. Murl would be so proud. He was really proud of his family. Always be grateful to Richard Chilton, Walton Haddix, former U.S. congressman Ed Whitfield, Dennis Shepherd, Luther Connor and former Miss America, Heather French Henry for relentless efforts over the last 22 years to challenge the awards process. It has been a lengthy one and we somewhat understand why. It's the Medal of Honor, our nation's highest award for valor. It was not easy. Verifying details and convincing various boards to review testimony and military records. But the story of my late husband Murl is fascinating and one for the history books. The truth is he never wanted notoriety and even resisted numerous attempts by his former commanding officer to seek the Medal of Honor for him. That commanding officer is the late Major General Lloyd Ramsey who said Murl was deserving as a matter of record but Murl made it clear that he was not interested. He said he didn't need another medal and his life's focus should be on living a faithful life in Kentucky and that he did. Kentucky is where we met and lived our lives. We stayed together through it all. In 1996 Richard Chilton, a man we'd never met, called from Wisconsin requesting a visit with Murl about the war and insights into heroic actions of Richard Zucco who also served with my husband. Though Murl was in poor health and spent most of his time in bed, he accepted the visit. I was surprised but Murl thought he could help a fellow soldier. Weeks later I was able to move Murl to a wheelchair and before Richard arrived he stayed with Murl for a good part of the day talking about the horrors of war. Some of it I heard, some of it I didn't. I did however bring out Murl's records. It was then that Richard learned Murl, my husband, was worthy of the Medal of Honor. The conversation led to Murl giving permission to seek the Medal as appropriate by the records. Appropriate and by the records we did it Murl. No more regrets. You see later in Murl's life he wondered if he did the right thing by rejecting the idea of a potential upgrade. After Richard's visit I remember pulling dusty boxes out of the closets. After Murl passed I became more aware of his heroic military actions. There was so much I didn't know. I came across notes from Major General Ramsey, Stephen Ambrose and many others stating that Murl was worthy of the Medal of Honor and as it turns out they were right after all. Murl was not about awards though he was proud of the many he and others earned. He was about service to our country and living a good faithful life. Our beautiful life together was simple. Our calling was having a family, building a home and a farm and helping family and friends, especially veterans who returned home with hardships. Veterans were so special to Murl. He helped them update records and get benefits over the years. I was his secretary. We met hundreds maybe thousands from 15 counties. Murl encouraged each to get their records straight. That said Murl reflected on why he didn't finish getting his records straight. He and I had many discussions about why he refused going through the middle upgrade process. As the years went by he expressed regret. I am amazed. He was so brave and he wrote a heroic battlefield. I never spoke spoke much of it. He was a humble man and is still my hero. I loved him very much. We met in 1945 at a home front celebration in Clinton County. 1945 and I'd never seen a parade. I was 15. Mom and dad put together a horse drone wagon for the whole family to see a guy by the name of Alvin C York. A world war one hero and recipient of the Medal of Honor and a more recent local war hero returning from Europe by the name of First Lieutenant Garland Murl Connor. He was a recipient of the distinguished service cross among other awards for action in the Second World War. I was all about seeing a hero a war hero. Again I was 15 soon to be 16. I could not believe my eyes. I saw Murl for the first time and said to mama my goodness that man could not have done all they said he did. I was expecting a giant. Murl was only five feet six inches tall and weighed approximately 120 pounds. A few weeks later I met him at a church revival and much to my mother's dismay about two weeks later we eloped into Georgia where parental consent was not required. We grew up together stayed true to our faith and had a beautiful boy. All who managed to take over the farm and raise great children. I'm all so much. There is so much to our story. Thank you again for being with our family and friends today to honor the service of my late husband First Lieutenant Garland Murl Connor. His service record speaks volumes on 24th of January 1945 with the Third Infantry Division. Murl kept going despite being surrounded by the enemy. He was so brave. Continue learning more about Murl's story and others reminding us the spirit of the American soldier never dies. Murl would want me to recognize his six brothers and four sisters. They were proud of one another and very proud of the men and women wearing the uniform. Four brothers fought in World War II and another brother fought in the Korean War. I challenge everyone to learn more about their family's military history even if it takes you to some old dusty boxes stuck away in a dark closet somewhere and this is what Murl would want me to say. God bless the United States of America. Thank you. Thank you Mrs. Connor. Ladies and gentlemen please be seated. Ladies and gentlemen please stand and join in the singing of the Army song. The words to the Army song can be found on your program. Ladies and gentlemen please pause for a moment at your seats to allow the official party Mrs. Connor and her family to exit the auditorium. Ladies and gentlemen please continue to remain at your seats until your row has been released. Thank you. This concludes today's ceremony.


Assalamu alaikum, welcome to virtual university and welcome to your English class. Now, in the last couple of lessons, if you remember, we have been looking at syntax, that is how sentences are constructed and what is it that makes for good effective sentences. We have looked at common errors in sentence construction, errors such as the dangling modifier, the run on sentences and we also looked at certain features of grammar. We looked at pronouns and their antecedents, we looked at subject verb agreement. These are areas that pose problems for learners of English and that is why we concentrated on them. In today's lesson, you will learn about punctuation. Now, punctuation is a vast area. We are only going to concentrate on the comma and the apostrophe. These are two very important items and they cause the greatest problems for students of English. Now, punctuation depends upon grammar. Until you understand how one part of a sentence is related to another, you cannot punctuate efficiently. Commas are not marks added to a sentence, to a completed sentence for artistic effect. They are very much a part of a well written sentence as are correctly placed pronouns and adverbs. Just as when you are writing, you have to place the adverb and the pronoun in the correct place, in the same way you have to place the comma in the right place. In writing, punctuation takes the place of pauses, gestures, rising tone and other such features of speech. Most people make use of some system of vocal punctuation in their speech. When they talk, they pause, sometimes their voice goes up, the pitch goes high and then it goes down in the same way. Some sentences would be clear enough without any punctuation marks. It is not that every sentence needs a comma, but readers have come to expect that sentences that are constructed in the same way will be punctuated in the same way. Therefore, certain rules of punctuation have come into being and sensible writers follow them and the greatest problems in punctuation have to do with the use of the comma and the apostrophe. We shall take up the comma first and then consider the apostrophe afterwards. Now, this does not mean that there are no other marks of punctuation. You are all familiar with the colon. The colon is two full stops, one on top of the other, the semicolon, the comma with a full stop on it, the full stop. Some people call it the period, the punctuation, the question mark, the exclamation mark, the dash, quotation marks, parentheses and square brackets, they are all marks, well known marks of punctuation. But we shall focus on only two as these pose the greatest number of problems for learners of English. The comma indicates a very short pause. Writers may disagree about a few of its uses but most of them agree about the five main uses which we will now consider. Look at the following sentences and insert commas were needed.  Now where would you put the commas? Give it a try, the first comma would come after the word bottle, the second would come after the word diapers, the third after blanket, right? Now why? You needed commas to separate these items.  And when you speak you pause, you will notice you would say the child's nanny collected a milk bottle, a bag full of diapers, a blanket. These are items in a series and the convention is that when you write if there are things in a series then you separate, use a comma to separate one item from the other. Look at the next sentence, although he is 80 my granddad walks 10 miles daily. Now in that sentence where would you have the comma? The comma in that sentence would come after the introductory phrase which would separate the introductory phrase from the rest of the sentence. Now in that sentence the introductory phrase is although he is 80, so you would put a comma after the word 80, right? Look at the third sentence, the cutlery box if I remember correctly is in the big trunk up upstairs. Notice that the phrase if I remember correctly it interrupts the flow of the sentence. So it has to be set off by commas. Verse number four, the paint company had displayed 30 shades of color but the fussy lady still could not find anything to order. Now in that sentence where would you put the comma? Notice that there are two complete thoughts in that sentence. The comma separates two complete thoughts which are connected by the conjunction or joining word but, so you will have the comma after the first complete thought. The paint company displayed 30 shades of color comma but the fussy lady still could not find anything to order. Verse number five, the house agent said it may take you a while to get used to the place. Now in that sentence is there a need for a comma? Yes, if you remember, if you remember looking at printed words, direct quotations are always separated by a comma. The comma separates a direct quotation from the rest of the sentence and over there the house agent said comma it may take you a while to get used to the place, fine. Now those were five main uses of the comma. Let us look at those rules again. Rule number one, rule number one is that a comma will come between items in a series. Number two, a comma will come after introductory material, after a phrase or a clause that is introducing something. Number three, you will have a comma or commas around words that interrupt the flow of a sentence. You will have a comma before it and you will have a comma after those words. Number four, rule number four is that you will insert a comma between complete thoughts which are connected by adjoining or a conjunction, words like and but, right and so. And the fifth rule is that you will use a comma to separate direct quotations from the rest of the sentence. Now a comma often marks a slight pause or a break in a sentence. When you read a sentence aloud, you can often hear the points where slight pauses occur. These pauses or these breaks, they occur at the point where one of the five main comma rules apply. Now over the years, I have noticed that students apply a comma wherever they feel like. No, it is not that. That is not the way to go about when you are writing. In general, use a comma only when a comma rule applies. When you are in doubt about whether or not to use a comma, it is often best to leave it out. Now, we look at these rules one by one, rule number one which said that comma between items, a comma comes between items in a series. The comma is used to separate three or more items in a series, words, phrases, clauses. They may be used in a series, right and we will look at a few examples. Look at the first one. The village women sold pottery, baskets, blankets and silver jewelry. Notice that there are words, series of words, pottery, baskets, blankets, right. You will use a comma over here, a comma after pottery, a comma after baskets, a comma after blankets. Sentence number two, the women spread their wares on the pavements, on doorsteps and especially under trees in the main square. Now, notice here it is phrases, a series of phrases. In the first sentence you had a series of words, now it is a series of phrases. And the comma will come after the word pavements or footpath, doorsteps, right, so two commas in that. The third example, the tribal elders took part in the dance, their women sold pottery and jewelry and their children ran around happily playing games. Now in that sentence there are two clauses and you have to use a comma to separate them. The first one, the first clause is the tribal elders took part in the dance, comma, their women sold pottery and jewelry, comma and their children played around happily playing games. The children ran around, sorry that is the word. Remember that you do not use a comma when the series contains only two items, for instance in the following sentence the college cafeteria now serves sandwiches and cold drinks. Now in that sentence there are just two items and there is no need for you to put a comma over there. Now remember you do not use a comma when the series contains only two items, let us have a short practice of this rule. Insert commas between items in a series. Number one, most countries now recycle newspapers, plastic bottles and aluminum cans, where will you put the comma? After newspapers and bottles. Number two, walking, jogging and bicycling are all inexpensive exercises, where will you put the comma? You will put the comma after the word walking, after the word jogging. Number three, the learner driver went through a red light, steer off the road of the side of the road and ended up on the footpath, where would you put the commas? You would put the first comma after the word light, the second comma after the word road. Now let us look at rule number two, which said that you put a comma after introducing after a phrase that introduces something, information. A comma is used to separate introductory material from the rest of the sentence.  Now in that sentence, which is the introductory phrase? The introductory clause, after the mother had given the baby a bath. So you will put a comma after the word bath, pushing and shoving each other. That is introductory material and you will separate this from the rest of the sentence by adding a comma after the word other. Look at the next one, with the ceremony of releasing doves in the air, the festival got off to a rousing start. Now in that sentence, with the ceremony of releasing doves in the air, all that bit is introductory material and you will separate it from the rest of the sentence by adding a comma after the word air. Now make a note that the comma may be omitted if the introductory phrase or the clause is so short that there is no likelihood of it being misread. Example as the flames rose the crowd gave a shout. Now in that sentence, the introductory phrase as the flames rose, it is a short introductory phrase, so there is no need for a comma. So at times you can do without a comma, a short practice session. Look at these sentences, see if you can do this on your own. Number one, when the lights went off, the children let out a loud yell, where would you put the comma yes, definitely after the word off. Number two, during the operation the doctor accidentally dropped the medicine bottle on the floor and the introductory phrase is during the operation. So you will have a comma after the word operation. Number three, disappointed by the batsman's performance, the fans threw bottles and fruit peel at the fieldman. Now you will have your comma at the end of the word performance, disappointed by the batsman's performance that is the introductory clause. Number four, after waiting in the queue for two hours, the students were told that the office had run out of admission forms and the introductory phrase over there is after waiting in the queue for two hours. So you will put a comma after the word hours. Rule number three, put a comma around words that interrupt the flow of a sentence. Sentences contain material that interrupt the flow of thought. Such words or group of words should be set off from the rest of the sentence by commas.  It interrupts the flow of thought. This is added information. So you always set off this kind of information by commas. You have a comma before the phrase and after the phrase. So one way of testing the interruption of the flow of thought is to read aloud such a sentence. And if you read the sentence aloud, you can hear the words who is very old. It interrupts the flow of thought. Such interruptions often contain information that is less important to the sentence. Example, the owner of the house grumbling angrily came out of the house to claim his dog and notice the word grumbling angrily. It is added on extra information but not necessary. So this has to be set off by commas. Another example, the college which was built in 1937 needs a face left. And in this sentence which was built in 1937 is interrupts the flow of thought. It is less important. It is set off by commas. The next one, the college auditorium though is in fairly good condition and over there it is the word though that interrupts the flow of thought. Another practice session for that rule that you have learnt just now. You insert commas around the interrupting words in each of the following sentences. Sentence number one, the house built of white stone was finally completed in 1890. And you would have commas after the word house and after the word stone. Number two, the park 40 acres of prime land provides a fine view for the surrounding buildings. And over there 40 acres of prime land that is interrupting the flow of thought. So you would set off that phrase with commas. And number three, the scenery of Switzerland which resembles that of Kashmir inspired him to write his novel and it would be the phrase which resembles that of Kashmir. That would be set off by commas. Rule number four which said that comma, insert a comma between complete thoughts which are joined by a word, by a conjunction. Look at this example and these joining words are and, but and so. Multan is one of the oldest cities in Pakistan and it is also one of the most interesting. Right? Now over there there are two sentences, two complete thoughts and it is the word and that is joining them. So you will put a comma after Pakistan. Number two, some historians claim that Uch Sharif another city in Punjab is older but all agree that the Indus valley has been continuously inhabited for thousands of years. Now in that sentence some historians claim that Uch Sharif another city in Punjab is older that is one complete thought and the joining word is but. So you will separate the two sentences which are joined by the word but with the comma after older. Another example perhaps you have read about this old city or perhaps you have even visited Uch Sharif again two complete thoughts and it is the joining word or right. So you will put a comma after city in the next sentence money may not buy happiness but it definitely makes misery bearable and you would put a comma after happiness. Right? Let us look at now again I want you to note that you do not add a comma just because a sentence contains the word and but or so. A comma is used only when the joining word comes between two complete thoughts. Each of those thoughts must have its own subject and verb. Look at this example Shama spent the morning in the college and then she went to the civil secretariat. Now in that sentence notice the comma comes after college it is a complete thought it has a subject and a verb of its own. Shama is the subject spent is the verb and in the second half and then she went in the second part of the sentence she is the subject and went is the verb. So in that situation notice you have a comma look at the second one Shama spent the morning in the college and then went to the civil secretariat. Now in that sentence there is no comma why because the second thought is not a complete thought because it does not have its own subject right. Let us have some more practice in this look at these four sentences. The first one the cricket team has lost five matches in a row but they are as popular as ever where will you put the comma simple after the word row. Number two Kosser was not wearing her reading glasses so she could not read the fine print in the dictionary and you would insert the comma after glasses. Number three I used to be able to play the sitar very well but now I am out of practice and the comma would come after the word well. Therefore it is not a festival precisely nor is it a village fair so where would you have the comma it would be after the word precisely and the last rule which says that a comma must come before a direct quotation example the coach shouted move fast you will insert the comma after the word shouted another example the students said do you mind if I ask a question and the comma will be after the word said another example the customer grumble to the waiter this tea tastes like ditch water and you will have the comma after the word waiter before the actual spoken words are written note when the comma comes at the end of directly quoted words it is included within the quotation marks when the comma comes at the end of directly quoted words it is included within the quotation marks example after this class whispered one student to her friend let us go to the cafeteria right now I hope you have had well practice number five insert commas to set off quoted material in the following sentences number one we are ready to leave said a cheerful voice on the bus mic and over there you would have a comma after the word leave this book complaint the student to this bookstore owner is 20 rupees cheaper at the other store mind you the comma will come after the word book and it will come after the word owner and in the last one the cashier said we do not take checks so you will have the comma after the word said now we will review what you learnt right now see if you can recognize which comma rule applies to each of the sentences then you identify the place with the comma or commas are required is required or are required look at the five rules they are there on the screen for you all five of them are there comma between items in a series B comma after introductory material C comma after interrupting words D comma before a word that joins two complete thoughts and comma with direct quotations look at these sentences now in sentence number one glaring around the room the boss demanded silence which rule is this one is it rule a b c d or e simple it is rule B and the comma will come after the word room sentence number two I heard a horn blowing so I glanced up at my rear view mirror which rule is this it is rule D and you will have the comma after the words blowing I heard a con a horn blowing comma so I glanced up at my rear view mirror number three the professor would not leave the house without his hat his briefcase and his umbrella which rule is this which rule will apply over here the rule is items in a series so it has to be rule number a and the comma the commas will come after the word hat the word briefcase right and of course a full stop after umbrella number four the city children unused to the darkness of the forest found it hard to sleep which rule is this which rule would to apply over here and it is rule number C comma after the word children comma after the word forest and number five the man whispered listen very carefully to what I have to say and this is rule number which rule applies over here its rule number e comma separates the coated words from the rest of the sentence so you will have the comma after the word whispered now that was the comma you had practice in it you learn the five rules and you had enough practice now we are looking at the apostrophe the use of the apostrophe look at the following sentences and see if you can spot the word that needs the apostrophe number one it is impossible to see stars in daylight now over there you will have an apostrophe in the first word its which is a contraction of the word it is the apostrophe takes the place of the letter I which has been dropped it is impossible meaning it is impossible so over there it is being used as contraction number two the judge cannot hear the cases until next month and you notice that the word count you will put a apostrophe between the letter N and T is the contraction of the word cannot the apostrophe shows that two letters N and O have been left out number three no one likes the college principles new attendance rules now over there the apostrophe with the S now over there you will say the apostrophe S shows that the new rules belong to the principle the apostrophe comes after the last letter of the word principle and over there the word likes does not take an apostrophe because it is not showing possession in this sentence in the word the apostrophe after principle shows possession whose rules the principles new rules but not the word likes why because likes is a verb it is not possessive it is not showing possession right look at number four the sandwiches at greens restaurant are the best in town now the apostrophe comes after the S in greens the apostrophe after the S shows that the greens own the restaurant right the apostrophe is a punctuation mark with two main purposes number one it is used in contraction in a contraction showing that one or more letters have been left out of her word number two it is also used to show possession that something belongs to someone or something now we look at the apostrophe in contractions a contraction is formed when two words are combined to make a new word the apostrophe takes the place of the letter all letters that are omitted when forming the contraction here are a few common contractions I am becomes I am it is becomes its does not becomes doesn't do not becomes don't she will becomes she'll you will becomes you'll you would becomes you'd will not becomes won't now contractions are commonly used in everyday speech and writing they are not slang some people in Pakistan they think that using contractions is wrong no it is perfectly alright I'll read out a passage and you notice how frequently words are contracted would you like to go to the movies tonight there's a film I've been wanting to see but it hasn't been in Lahore until now you've been wanting to see it too haven't you shouldn't we ask the others to go with us they are always saying that they have plenty of time don't they now you notice that over there in the passage that I read to you these were actual words spoken by someone and in speech contractions are normal and even in writing so please do not have this wrong notion in your head that if you use contractions you are using wrong English they are perfectly correct now there are a few contractions that cause problems and there are four pairs of words that can cause problems to students and these words are there and there they are meaning their T H E Y apostrophe R E meaning they are and the other word is their T H E I R which means belonging to them the other pair of words is its and it is one means it is or it has and the other means belonging to your and your one is a contraction you are and the other is your meaning belonging to you and number four the fourth one is whose meaning who is and whose W H O S E meaning belonging to whom now notice how each of these words is used in the sentences that follow the first one they are upset about the damage done to their new car car T H E I R is their car belonging to them number two it is a shame that the college fail to honor its own faculty and over there the first it is a contraction the second one shows possession number three your parents your parents said you are their favorite child and your meaning belonging to you and the second your is a contraction for the word you are the last one who is the person whose care whose car number whose car number plate is missing and the first one is who is it is a contraction whose whose the second one shows possession whose car number plate is missing now we look at the apostrophe to show possession in the following phrases the apostrophe and s are used to show possession of singular or plural nouns which do not end in s you have this is a man's job these are men's jobs children's gains are not always simple my sister-in-law's great love is shopping she reads Huxley's s's in the case of plural nouns ending in s the apostrophe is used alone example she rang the Shah's doorbell over there you do not add n s you just use the apostrophe by itself the two dogs tracks were visible in the snow right and there is an apostrophe after dogs but you do not add n s number three the ladies toilet or washroom was locked and ladies is plural so you do not add an s you only use the apostrophe by itself right now we will look as I said there are always exceptions when we do not use an apostrophe in plural and verbs the possessive and plural forms of words are often very confusing remember that a plural is formed simply by adding an s to a word no apostrophe is used look at the following sentences the following sentence to see which words are plural in which are possessive Samina's new boots have cold and buckles Samina's new boots boots and buckles are plural that is more than one boot buckle plus Samina's the word with the apostrophe plus s is Samina's that shows possession that is Samina owns the boots also many verbs which end with an s example he owns the cinema owns is a verb so do not put an apostrophe in a verb remember that a quick practice session add an apostrophe in these sentences the head of the department's mood is much better after he gives out the assignments for the day now in that sentence you have departments departments is apostrophe s the head belonging to the department gives is a verb assignments are plural so just do not add an apostrophe wherever there is an s number two this year's new television shows are much worse than the programs of last year over here years is has an apostrophe s year apostrophe s which means belonging to this year while the word shows is plural and programs is also plural so you do not need apostrophes with those two words number three mind your peas and queues over there you will have to put an apostrophe between P and s and Q and s now let us review this part of the lesson the second half identify the correct answer a contraction is two words combined into one is it one word is it a possessive or is it a plural statement number two in the contraction sheed the apostrophe three choices number a shows that she possesses something b it takes the place of w u l c it indicates a plural and the correct one is b it the contraction sheed takes the place of she word number three to make a possessive an apostrophe plus an s is usually added a to the name of the owner b whatever is owned which one is the correct choice it is a to make a possessive an apostrophe plus an s is usually added to the name of the owner and number four an apostrophe is not needed in a a contraction b a plural so over there the correct answer would be b an apostrophe is not needed in a plural right so that was a review of the second half of the lesson which was about apostrophes now with that we come to the end of today's lesson in today's lesson you learnt about punctuation two areas of punctuation and the two punctuation marks were the comma and the apostrophe and you looked at the problem areas in punctuation and these are skills that are required for effective writing next time we are going to move on to writing so till next time Allah Hafiz see you next time.