WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.360 align:middle line:90% [APPLAUSE] 00:00:03.360 --> 00:00:07.300 align:middle line:90% 00:00:07.300 --> 00:00:12.760 align:middle line:84% My mother died on the 24th of June 00:00:12.760 --> 00:00:15.260 align:middle line:84% and my sister died on the 10th of August. 00:00:15.260 --> 00:00:18.250 align:middle line:90% So it's been a hard year. 00:00:18.250 --> 00:00:21.790 align:middle line:84% And I don't mention it for that, but I mentioned for this. 00:00:21.790 --> 00:00:23.710 align:middle line:84% So I'm going to read a poem if you don't mind. 00:00:23.710 --> 00:00:29.560 align:middle line:84% I live out in the country, and some yellow jackets moved in. 00:00:29.560 --> 00:00:33.460 align:middle line:84% And yellow jackets are not good neighbors. 00:00:33.460 --> 00:00:39.540 align:middle line:84% And no, I did a human thing, which was really stupid. 00:00:39.540 --> 00:00:40.600 align:middle line:90% You swat at them. 00:00:40.600 --> 00:00:42.370 align:middle line:84% And my first thought was, I should go 00:00:42.370 --> 00:00:44.350 align:middle line:90% get some [? say ?] in the Raid. 00:00:44.350 --> 00:00:47.710 align:middle line:84% And then I thought, I've had enough death. 00:00:47.710 --> 00:00:49.660 align:middle line:90% I just was tired of death. 00:00:49.660 --> 00:00:52.700 align:middle line:84% There's just no, I don't have to find a way to live with it. 00:00:52.700 --> 00:00:55.030 align:middle line:90% So the yellow jacket stayed. 00:00:55.030 --> 00:00:57.820 align:middle line:84% And of course, I guess, they told each other, 00:00:57.820 --> 00:00:59.180 align:middle line:90% Nikki is not going to kill us. 00:00:59.180 --> 00:01:02.523 align:middle line:84% So next thing you know, they have actually moved in. 00:01:02.523 --> 00:01:04.690 align:middle line:84% I don't know if you ever tried to live with yellow-- 00:01:04.690 --> 00:01:07.328 align:middle line:84% I don't know if you have yellow jackets, but they're there. 00:01:07.328 --> 00:01:08.620 align:middle line:90% It's just the buzz or whatever. 00:01:08.620 --> 00:01:12.430 align:middle line:84% But because I was so sad, I did, I think, the only logical thing 00:01:12.430 --> 00:01:15.820 align:middle line:84% to do, I had a party because, well, you're so sad anyway, 00:01:15.820 --> 00:01:18.860 align:middle line:84% you may as well have a party and try to find a way through it. 00:01:18.860 --> 00:01:20.440 align:middle line:84% And of course, not of course, but I 00:01:20.440 --> 00:01:22.780 align:middle line:84% had it catered because you can't enjoy the party 00:01:22.780 --> 00:01:25.000 align:middle line:84% if you're the one doing all the work. 00:01:25.000 --> 00:01:27.290 align:middle line:90% And so I'm like-- 00:01:27.290 --> 00:01:29.170 align:middle line:84% And so about 4 o'clock in the evening, 00:01:29.170 --> 00:01:31.270 align:middle line:84% the caterers start to come and they're 00:01:31.270 --> 00:01:32.790 align:middle line:84% going to set up on my deck, right? 00:01:32.790 --> 00:01:34.540 align:middle line:84% And so all of a sudden it's like I would-- 00:01:34.540 --> 00:01:36.130 align:middle line:84% I've been living in the house for 20 years, 00:01:36.130 --> 00:01:37.420 align:middle line:84% but I don't know what's going on. 00:01:37.420 --> 00:01:38.830 align:middle line:84% So they're coming back to me and they say, 00:01:38.830 --> 00:01:40.510 align:middle line:84% it's a bunch of yellow jackets out there, you know. 00:01:40.510 --> 00:01:42.550 align:middle line:84% Don't you have anything to spray them with? 00:01:42.550 --> 00:01:46.510 align:middle line:84% I said, excuse me, but the yellow jackets live here 00:01:46.510 --> 00:01:48.025 align:middle line:90% and you're hired help. 00:01:48.025 --> 00:01:51.155 align:middle line:90% 00:01:51.155 --> 00:01:55.690 align:middle line:84% Now, you need to make that adjustment. 00:01:55.690 --> 00:01:57.280 align:middle line:84% Because at about 6 o'clock, they're 00:01:57.280 --> 00:01:58.180 align:middle line:90% settled in for the night. 00:01:58.180 --> 00:02:00.472 align:middle line:84% And if you don't bump their house, they were all right. 00:02:00.472 --> 00:02:02.980 align:middle line:84% And I did learn something because human beings 00:02:02.980 --> 00:02:05.680 align:middle line:84% no matter whether it's yellow jackets or gay people 00:02:05.680 --> 00:02:07.195 align:middle line:84% or Black people or white people, we 00:02:07.195 --> 00:02:09.070 align:middle line:84% have to do a little better with getting along 00:02:09.070 --> 00:02:10.300 align:middle line:90% with things that scare us. 00:02:10.300 --> 00:02:12.190 align:middle line:84% You just can't run around killing something 00:02:12.190 --> 00:02:15.430 align:middle line:90% just because you're scared. 00:02:15.430 --> 00:02:16.900 align:middle line:84% What kind of sense does that make? 00:02:16.900 --> 00:02:20.400 align:middle line:90% [APPLAUSE] 00:02:20.400 --> 00:02:25.015 align:middle line:90% 00:02:25.015 --> 00:02:27.680 align:middle line:84% I realized I fell in love with them 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:31.400 align:middle line:84% and I wrote a poem for them that I wanted to share. 00:02:31.400 --> 00:02:34.370 align:middle line:90% It's called "The Yellow Jacket." 00:02:34.370 --> 00:02:38.900 align:middle line:84% We pause in our day before completion of evening chores, 00:02:38.900 --> 00:02:41.090 align:middle line:90% I to cook dinner and you-- 00:02:41.090 --> 00:02:42.740 align:middle line:90% I'm not sure what you do. 00:02:42.740 --> 00:02:45.050 align:middle line:84% I empty the bird baths, always worrying 00:02:45.050 --> 00:02:48.080 align:middle line:84% a virus or germ or unpleasant bacteria 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:50.630 align:middle line:84% may lurk to do fatal harm to those who only 00:02:50.630 --> 00:02:53.000 align:middle line:84% bring their voices and joy and thanksgiving 00:02:53.000 --> 00:02:54.260 align:middle line:90% for the fresh water. 00:02:54.260 --> 00:02:57.050 align:middle line:84% And you buzz and, quite frankly, annoy me 00:02:57.050 --> 00:02:59.900 align:middle line:84% as I go about this duty, fulfilling a contract that 00:02:59.900 --> 00:03:03.170 align:middle line:84% was never signed and not at all enforceable but nonetheless 00:03:03.170 --> 00:03:05.930 align:middle line:84% a cheerful duty to our feathered friends. 00:03:05.930 --> 00:03:08.420 align:middle line:84% Recognizing each tree gone, each bush 00:03:08.420 --> 00:03:12.740 align:middle line:84% removed for a deck or patio has left a place less welcoming. 00:03:12.740 --> 00:03:15.140 align:middle line:84% I hope the birds accept this clean water 00:03:15.140 --> 00:03:16.940 align:middle line:90% as a suitable replacement. 00:03:16.940 --> 00:03:17.990 align:middle line:90% I swat at you. 00:03:17.990 --> 00:03:20.720 align:middle line:84% Word you will sting, causing my throat to swell 00:03:20.720 --> 00:03:26.300 align:middle line:84% or blocking my air or some other unknown danger humans attribute 00:03:26.300 --> 00:03:27.530 align:middle line:90% when we hear buzzes. 00:03:27.530 --> 00:03:31.460 align:middle line:84% You wait, buzz by and wait again until the water 00:03:31.460 --> 00:03:34.550 align:middle line:84% is filled where you can sit majestically 00:03:34.550 --> 00:03:36.530 align:middle line:90% on the edge and drink. 00:03:36.530 --> 00:03:39.020 align:middle line:84% We are not friends, the yellow jacket and I. 00:03:39.020 --> 00:03:41.300 align:middle line:84% You will not be tamed nor trained. 00:03:41.300 --> 00:03:44.330 align:middle line:84% Your sound will offer no comfort nor your numbers 00:03:44.330 --> 00:03:45.830 align:middle line:90% any sense of safety. 00:03:45.830 --> 00:03:49.190 align:middle line:84% Yet, in this evening watching you drink, 00:03:49.190 --> 00:03:53.720 align:middle line:84% I am in awe of your self-possessed beauty. 00:03:53.720 --> 00:03:55.570 align:middle line:90% [APPLAUSE]