WEBVTT

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This one's really boring.

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[LAUGHTER]

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But it's the last one.

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I already planned to
read it, so here you go.

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[LAUGHTER]

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"This ant is a lead pencil.

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And thus, it is implied
that I have its full consent

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to use it as such,
as writing implement.

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When the ant locks
its eyes with me,

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I understand that I am to hold
it in my writing hand with

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sincere, full-bodied respect and
all the diligence and care that

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the situation requires of me,
that I will not press too hard

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for fear of breaking
its ant neck,

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that I will give adequate--"
that's for you, Lissie--

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"pause between words, no matter
how fast the thought flows."

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She was telling me that
some people say "ja-qwet"

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and some people say
"ja-ket," so "adequate."

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[LAUGHTER]

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I lost my place.

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"Thus it should
come as no surprise

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that it has taken me a long
time to write these very words.

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And yet here you
come, irrationally

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demanding to know why it takes
me so long to write a poem when

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we could be doing other
things, like untangling

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the kite from the oak tree.

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No, you can't have everything,
especially not all at once.

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The ant, after briefly wondering
if the kite in the oak tree

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might eventually become
a source of reprieve,

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is holding the position.

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Is it a patient ant, or
resigned ant, or hopeful ant,

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or even resplendent?

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It is interesting
how people think.

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[LAUGHTER]

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The ant--

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[LAUGHTER]

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Thanks for laughing later.

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I like the--

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I feel like a
stand-up or something.

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It's really funny.

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Um, I lost my place again.

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"The ant has graciously
agreed to not exert

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its own forces upon my writing.

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It has relinquished
all editing rights,

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will allow consistent
release of its lead

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so as to lend itself to smooth
delivery of language on paper.

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It will have fulfilled
its duties to the letter,

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though not without
questioning why it, as an ant,

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should have to be a
lead pencil, after all.

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Look at all those other ants
who are not lead pencils

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but are clouds, or glasses
of wine, or motorcycles.

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Look at them.

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Some are even just ants, ants
as ants as ants as ants."

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OK, those are The Ant poems.

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