[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:08.87,0:00:10.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Opposites Game
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.84,0:00:12.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For Patricia Maisch
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.47,0:00:18.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This day my students and \NI play the Opposites Game
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.42,0:00:23.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with a line from Emily Dickinson. \NMy life had stood
Dialogue: 0,0:00:23.12,0:00:27.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a loaded gun, it goes and \NI write it on the board,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.16,0:00:30.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,pausing so they can call \Nout the antonyms –
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.66,0:00:33.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My Your
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.04,0:00:35.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Life Death
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.60,0:00:39.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Had stood ? Will sit
Dialogue: 0,0:00:39.44,0:00:41.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A Many
Dialogue: 0,0:00:41.42,0:00:43.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Loaded Empty
Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.78,0:00:46.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Gun ?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:46.28,0:00:48.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Gun.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.06,0:00:50.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For a moment, very much \Nlike the one between
Dialogue: 0,0:00:50.84,0:00:54.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,lightning and its sound, \Nthe children just stare at me,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.85,0:00:59.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then it comes, a flurry, \Na hail storm of answers –
Dialogue: 0,0:00:59.48,0:01:05.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Flower, says one. No, Book, says another. \NThat's stupid,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.16,0:01:09.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,cries a third, the opposite of a \Ngun is a pillow. Or maybe
Dialogue: 0,0:01:09.13,0:01:14.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a hug, but not a book, \Nno way is it a book. With this,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.97,0:01:16.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the others gather their thoughts
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.81,0:01:20.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and suddenly it’s a shouting match. \NNo one can agree,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:20.55,0:01:26.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for every student there’s a final answer. \NIt's a song,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.19,0:01:30.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a prayer, I mean a promise, \Nlike a wedding ring, and
Dialogue: 0,0:01:30.15,0:01:35.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,later a baby. Or what’s that \Nperson who delivers babies?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:35.49,0:01:40.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A midwife? Yes, a midwife. \NNo, that’s wrong. You're so
Dialogue: 0,0:01:40.30,0:01:44.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,wrong you’ll never be right again. \NIt's a whisper, a star,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:44.86,0:01:49.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's saying I love you into your \Nhand and then touching
Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.59,0:01:54.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,someone's ear. Are you crazy? \NAre you the president
Dialogue: 0,0:01:54.16,0:01:58.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of Stupid-land? You should be, \NWhen's the election?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.55,0:02:03.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s a teddy bear, a sword, \Na perfect, perfect peach.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.24,0:02:08.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Go back to the first one, \Nit's a flower, a white rose.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.26,0:02:12.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When the bell rings, I reach \Nfor an eraser but a girl
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.03,0:02:16.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,snatches it from my hand. \NNothing's decided, she says,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.16,0:02:19.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We’re not done here. \NI leave all the answers
Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.55,0:02:23.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on the board. The next day \Nsome of them have
Dialogue: 0,0:02:23.44,0:02:27.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,stopped talking to each other, \Nthey’ve taken sides.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:27.76,0:02:33.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's a Flower club. \NAnd a Kitten club. And two boys
Dialogue: 0,0:02:33.26,0:02:37.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,calling themselves The Snowballs. \NThe rest have stuck
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.52,0:02:40.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with the original game, \Nwhich was to try to write
Dialogue: 0,0:02:40.50,0:02:43.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,something like poetry.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.54,0:02:46.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a diamond, it's a dance,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:46.80,0:02:50.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the opposite of a gun is \Na museum in France.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.91,0:02:53.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's the moon, it's a mirror,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.99,0:02:58.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's the sound of a bell and the hearer.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.68,0:03:02.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The arguing starts again, \Nmore shouting, and finally
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.34,0:03:07.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a new club. For the first time \NI dare to push them.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.60,0:03:12.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe all of you are right, I say.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.01,0:03:17.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, maybe. Maybe it's everything \Nwe said. Maybe it’s
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.42,0:03:24.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,everything we didn't say. It's words \Nand the spaces for words.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:24.17,0:03:27.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're looking at each other now. \NIt's everything in this
Dialogue: 0,0:03:27.30,0:03:28.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,room
Dialogue: 0,0:03:28.23,0:03:33.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and outside this room and down \Nthe street and in the sky.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:33.08,0:03:37.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's everyone on campus and at the mall, \Nand all the people
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.31,0:03:42.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,waiting at the hospital.\NAnd at the post office. And, yeah,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:42.34,0:03:46.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's a flower, too. All the flowers. \NThe whole garden.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.68,0:03:51.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The opposite of a gun is \Nwherever you point it.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:52.53,0:03:58.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Don’t write that on the board, \Nthey say. Just say poem.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:58.98,0:04:04.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Your death will sit through \Nmany empty poems.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:24.55,0:04:27.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hi, my name is Brendan Constantine
Dialogue: 0,0:04:27.53,0:04:29.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I wrote "The Opposites Game."
Dialogue: 0,0:04:33.37,0:04:35.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Back in 2016,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:35.66,0:04:38.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was asked to participate
Dialogue: 0,0:04:38.63,0:04:41.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in a rally for an event called,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:41.96,0:04:44.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Gun Violence Awareness Day."
Dialogue: 0,0:04:44.31,0:04:47.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This particular rally was being held \Nin Tucsan,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:47.50,0:04:52.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and was being coordinated in part\Nby a lady named Patricia Maisch.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:52.38,0:04:54.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And she asked if I would come out
Dialogue: 0,0:04:54.73,0:04:59.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and read poetry as part of the day's event
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.09,0:05:03.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and she told me that all sorts of folks \Nwere going to be there,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:03.14,0:05:05.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,including people who opposed the event,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:05.36,0:05:11.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but also in the audience would be friends\Nand family of people who were struck down
Dialogue: 0,0:05:11.42,0:05:17.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,during the infamous Tucson shooting \Nof January 2011,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:17.63,0:05:21.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when Representative Gabrielle \NGiffords was shot.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:21.87,0:05:24.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A number of people were shot that day,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:24.24,0:05:25.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and there were a number of deaths,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.86,0:05:30.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I was told that family members \Nof some of the fallen,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:30.34,0:05:38.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,including the mother of Christina Taylor \NGreen, was going to be there.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.28,0:05:40.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She was a small child \Nwho was killed that day.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:40.91,0:05:43.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the lady who invited me, Patricia,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:43.03,0:05:44.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is a remarkable woman,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.98,0:05:49.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who had helped to disarm the shooter \Nthat day.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:49.35,0:05:52.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I had this strange sort of burden,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:52.60,0:05:54.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I thought, well of course \NI'm going to go do this,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:54.98,0:05:56.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,somebody's asked for a poem,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:56.32,0:05:58.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but at the same time I thought,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.04,0:06:00.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"What on earth am I going to say?"
Dialogue: 0,0:06:00.57,0:06:02.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And of course the answer was right\Nin front of me,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:02.91,0:06:07.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because as a school teacher I'd recently\Nhad the very experience
Dialogue: 0,0:06:07.04,0:06:08.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that's talked about in the poem,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:08.67,0:06:10.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but I'd never written about it.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:10.59,0:06:13.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And sometimes it just seems to fall in\Nyour lap, you know?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:13.52,0:06:14.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You look around and you go,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:14.81,0:06:19.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Oh my goodness, I'm actually walking\Naround in a poem right now."
Dialogue: 0,0:06:19.73,0:06:20.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I wrote it in a panic,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:20.92,0:06:26.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I wrote it in the service of poetry.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:26.00,0:06:27.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Somebody asked for a poem for something,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:27.91,0:06:30.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I tried to provide it.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:37.26,0:06:42.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I guess the most surprising experience of\Nthe poem, and finding out where it landed
Dialogue: 0,0:06:42.17,0:06:45.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was during the March for Our Lives,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:45.55,0:06:48.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the large national demonstration.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:48.30,0:06:55.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Early in the day, people started to send\Nme texts of people carrying banners
Dialogue: 0,0:06:55.41,0:06:58.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with lines from the poem on them.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:58.56,0:07:03.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The line, "The opposite of a gun is\Nwherever you point it,"
Dialogue: 0,0:07:03.32,0:07:05.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,started showing up on signs and banners
Dialogue: 0,0:07:05.48,0:07:07.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and even t-shirts...
Dialogue: 0,0:07:07.32,0:07:11.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and all people I didn't know, I mean\NI didn't know any of these people.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:11.67,0:07:15.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And again, that's sort of odd cause they \Ndidn't just read the poem in a magazine
Dialogue: 0,0:07:15.96,0:07:19.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they took a line out of it and carried\Nthat line around with them.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:19.23,0:07:21.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean that's, that's amazing,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:21.88,0:07:23.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and at that point you just go,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:23.31,0:07:25.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Well this isn't your poem anymore,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:25.99,0:07:27.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this is their poem now.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:27.43,0:07:29.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is Patricia's poem.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:29.30,0:07:34.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This poem belongs to everybody that\Nremembers it."
Dialogue: 0,0:07:34.52,0:07:38.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So that was hugely surprising.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:41.73,0:07:45.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think everybody should read Brigit\NPegeen Kelly's poem, "Song."
Dialogue: 0,0:07:45.73,0:07:47.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's not an easy poem,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:47.82,0:07:50.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it is a breathtaking, heartrending poem,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:50.79,0:07:52.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's a poem about childhood,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:52.74,0:07:54.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's a poem about magic,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:54.60,0:07:56.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's a poem about grief,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:56.84,0:08:00.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it is a poem about sweetness,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:00.31,0:08:02.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the sweetness in everything,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:02.47,0:08:06.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,especially the sweetness in heartbreak.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:06.68,0:08:09.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I saw her read it, and when she finished,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:09.64,0:08:11.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was a different writer.