A love poem for lonely prime numbers | Harry Baker | TEDxExeter
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0:07 - 0:10My name is Harry Baker
Harry Baker is my name. -
0:10 - 0:15If your name was Harry Baker,
then our names would be the same. -
0:15 - 0:17(Laughter)
-
0:17 - 0:19It's a short introductory part.
-
0:19 - 0:21Yeah, I'm Harry.
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0:21 - 0:23I study maths. I write poetry.
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0:23 - 0:27So I thought I'd start
with a love poem about prime numbers. -
0:27 - 0:30(Laughter)
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0:30 - 0:32This is called "59."
-
0:32 - 0:35I was going to call it
"Prime Time Loving." -
0:35 - 0:37That reaction is why I didn't.
-
0:37 - 0:40(Laughter)
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0:40 - 0:42So, "59."
-
0:43 - 0:4659 wakes up on the wrong
side of the bed. -
0:47 - 0:49Realizes all his hair is
on one side of his head. -
0:49 - 0:53Takes just under a minute to work out that
it’s because of the way that he slept. -
0:53 - 0:55He finds some clothes and gets dressed.
-
0:55 - 0:58He can’t help but look in the mirror
and be subtly impressed -
0:58 - 1:00How he looks rough around the edges
and yet casually messed. -
1:00 - 1:04And as he glances out the window, he
sees the sight that he gets blessed with -
1:04 - 1:05of 60 from across the street.
-
1:05 - 1:07Now 60 was beautiful.
-
1:07 - 1:10With perfectly trimmed cuticles,
dressed in something suitable. -
1:10 - 1:11Never rude or crude at all.
-
1:11 - 1:15Unimprovable, right on time as usual,
more on cue than a snooker ball -
1:15 - 1:17but liked to play it super cool.
-
1:17 - 1:2059 wanted to tell her
that he knew her favorite flower. -
1:20 - 1:23He thought of her every second,
every minute, every hour. -
1:23 - 1:26But he knew it wouldn’t work,
he’d never get the girl. -
1:26 - 1:28Because although she lived
across the street -
1:28 - 1:29they came from different worlds.
-
1:29 - 1:31While 59 admired 60’s
perfectly round figure, -
1:31 - 1:3660 thought 59 was odd.
(Laughter) -
1:38 - 1:42One of his favorite films
was "101 Dalmatians." -
1:43 - 1:45She preferred the sequel.
-
1:45 - 1:49He romanticized the idea
they were star-crossed lovers. -
1:49 - 1:52They could overcome the odds
and evens because they had each other. -
1:52 - 1:55While she maintained the strict views
imposed on her by her mother -
1:55 - 1:57That separate could not be equal.
-
1:57 - 1:59And though at the time he felt
stupid and dumb -
1:59 - 2:01For trying to love a girl controlled
by her stupid mum, -
2:01 - 2:04He should have been comforted
by the simple sum. -
2:04 - 2:06Take 59 away from 60,
and you’re left with the one. -
2:06 - 2:08Sure enough after two months
of moping around, -
2:08 - 2:1161 days later, 61 was who he found,
-
2:11 - 2:14He had lost his keys
and his parents were out. -
2:14 - 2:16So one day after school
he went into a house -
2:16 - 2:18As he noticed the slightly wonky
numbers on the door, -
2:18 - 2:21He wondered why he’d never
introduced himself before, -
2:21 - 2:23As she let him in, his jaw
dropped in awe. -
2:23 - 2:2661 was like 60, but a little bit more.
(Laughter) -
2:26 - 2:30She had prettier eyes,
and an approachable smile, -
2:30 - 2:32And like him, rough around
the edges, casual style, -
2:32 - 2:35And like him, everything
was in disorganized piles, -
2:35 - 2:37And like him, her mum didn’t mind
if friends stayed a while. -
2:37 - 2:39Because she was like him,
and he liked her. -
2:39 - 2:42He reckoned she would like him
if she knew he was like her, -
2:42 - 2:45And it was different this time.
I mean, this girl was wicked, -
2:45 - 2:48So he plucked up the courage
and asked for her digits. -
2:48 - 2:52She said, "I'm 61.
"He grinned, said, "I'm 59." -
2:52 - 2:54Today I’ve had a really nice time,
-
2:54 - 2:56So tomorrow if you wanted
you could come over to mine? -
2:56 - 2:57She said, "Sure."
-
2:57 - 2:59She loved talking to someone
just as quirky, -
2:59 - 3:01She agreed to this unofficial first date.
-
3:01 - 3:03In the end he was only
ready one minute early, -
3:03 - 3:06But it didn’t matter because
she arrived one minute late. -
3:06 - 3:08And from that moment on
there was nonstop chatter, -
3:08 - 3:11How they loved "X Factor,"
how they had two factors, -
3:11 - 3:15How that did not matter,
distinctiveness made them better, -
3:15 - 3:18By the end of the night they knew
they were meant together. -
3:18 - 3:21And one day she was talking
about stuck-up 60, -
3:21 - 3:23She noticed that 59 looked a bit shifty.
-
3:23 - 3:25He blushed, told her of his crush:
-
3:25 - 3:28“The best thing that never happened
because it led to us.” -
3:28 - 3:3061 was clever, see,
not prone to jealousy, -
3:30 - 3:33She looked him in the eyes
and told him quite tenderly, -
3:33 - 3:38You’re 59, I’m 61, together we combine
to become twice what 60 could ever be. -
3:38 - 3:41(Laughter)
-
3:41 - 3:43At this point 59 had tears in his eyes,
-
3:43 - 3:46Was so glad to have
this one-of-a-kind girl in his life. -
3:46 - 3:48He told her the very
definition of being prime -
3:48 - 3:51Was that with only one
and himself could his heart divide, -
3:51 - 3:53And she was the one he wanted
to give his heart to, -
3:53 - 3:57She said she felt the same
and now she knew the films were half true. -
3:57 - 3:59Because that wasn't real love,
that love was just a sample, -
3:59 - 4:02When it came to real love,
they were a prime example. -
4:02 - 4:04Cheers.
-
4:04 - 4:08(Applause)
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4:16 - 4:18That was the first poem that I wrote
-
4:18 - 4:23and it was for a prime number-themed
poetry night - (Laughter) - -
4:23 - 4:26which turned out to be
a prime number-themed poetry competition. -
4:26 - 4:29And I became a prime number-themed
poetry competition winner, -
4:29 - 4:33or as I like to call it,
a prime minister. (Laughter) -
4:33 - 4:36And this is how I discovered
these things called poetry slams, -
4:36 - 4:38and if you don't know
what a poetry slam is, -
4:38 - 4:40it was a format come up with
in America 30 years ago -
4:40 - 4:43as a way of tricking people
into going to poetry events -
4:43 - 4:46by putting an exciting word
like "slam" on the end. -
4:46 - 4:48(Laughter)
-
4:48 - 4:51And each performer got
three minutes to perform -
4:51 - 4:53and then random audience members
would hold up scorecards, -
4:53 - 4:56and they would end up
with a numerical score, -
4:56 - 4:57and what this meant is,
-
4:57 - 5:00it kind of broke down the barrier
between performer and audience -
5:00 - 5:03and encouraged the kind of connection
with the listener. -
5:03 - 5:05And what it also means is you can win.
-
5:05 - 5:09And if you win a poetry slam,
you can call yourself a slam champion -
5:09 - 5:11and pretend you're a wrestler,
-
5:11 - 5:15and if you lose a poetry slam you can say,
"Oh, what? Poetry's a subjective art form, -
5:15 - 5:18you can't put numbers on such things."
-
5:18 - 5:19(Laughter)
-
5:20 - 5:23But I loved it, and I got involved
in these slams, -
5:23 - 5:24and I became the U.K. slam champion
-
5:24 - 5:27and got invited to
the Poetry World Cup in Paris, -
5:27 - 5:29which was unbelievable.
-
5:29 - 5:32It was people from all around the world
speaking in their native languages -
5:32 - 5:35to be judged by five French strangers.
-
5:35 - 5:37(Laughter)
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5:37 - 5:41And somehow, I won, which was great,
-
5:41 - 5:44and I've been able
to travel the world since doing it, -
5:45 - 5:47but it also means that this next piece
-
5:47 - 5:50is technically the best poem in the world.
-
5:50 - 5:53(Laughter)
-
5:53 - 5:55So...
-
5:55 - 6:00(Applause)
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6:00 - 6:03According to five French strangers.
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6:03 - 6:06So this is "Paper People."
-
6:07 - 6:09I like people.
-
6:09 - 6:11I'd like some paper people.
-
6:11 - 6:15They’d be purple paper people.
Maybe pop-up purple paper people. -
6:15 - 6:18Proper pop-up purple paper people.
-
6:18 - 6:20"How do you prop up
pop-up purple paper people?" -
6:20 - 6:24I hear you cry. Well I…
-
6:24 - 6:27I’d probably prop up proper
pop-up purple paper people -
6:27 - 6:29with a proper pop-up
purple people paperclip, -
6:29 - 6:32but I’d pre-prepare appropriate
adhesives as alternatives, -
6:32 - 6:35a cheeky pack of Blu Tack
just in case the paper slipped. -
6:35 - 6:37Because I could build a pop-up metropolis.
-
6:37 - 6:40but I wouldn’t wanna deal with all the
paper people politics. -
6:40 - 6:42paper politicians with their
paper-thin policies, -
6:42 - 6:44broken promises
without appropriate apologies. -
6:44 - 6:48There’d be a little paper me.
And a little paper you. -
6:48 - 6:51And we could watch paper TV
and it would all be pay-per-view. -
6:51 - 6:53(Laughter)
-
6:53 - 6:56We’d see the poppy paper rappers
rap about their paper package -
6:56 - 7:01or watch paper people carriers
get stuck in paper traffic on the A4. -
7:01 - 7:03(Laughter) Paper.
-
7:04 - 7:09There’d be a paper princess Kate
but we’d all stare at paper Pippa, -
7:09 - 7:12and then we’d all live in fear of
killer Jack the Paper-Ripper, -
7:12 - 7:15because the paper propaganda
propagates the people's prejudices, -
7:15 - 7:18papers printing pictures of the
photogenic terrorists. -
7:18 - 7:21A little paper me.
And a little paper you. -
7:21 - 7:23And in a pop-up population
people’s problems pop up too. -
7:23 - 7:26There’d be a pompous paper parliament
who remained out of touch, -
7:26 - 7:29and who ignored the people's protests
about all the paper cuts, -
7:29 - 7:32then the peaceful paper protests
would get blown to paper pieces, -
7:32 - 7:35by the confetti cannons
manned by pre-emptive police. -
7:35 - 7:38And yes there’s still be paper money,
so there’d still be paper greed, -
7:38 - 7:41and the paper piggy bankers
pocketing more than they need, -
7:41 - 7:44purchasing the potpourri
to pepper their paper properties, -
7:44 - 7:46others live in poverty
and ain’t acknowledged properly. -
7:46 - 7:49A proper poor economy
where so many are proper poor, -
7:49 - 7:52but while their needs are ignored
the money goes to big wars. -
7:52 - 7:54Origami armies
unfold plans for paper planes -
7:54 - 7:56and we remain imprisoned
in our own paper chains, -
7:56 - 8:00but the greater shame
is that it always seems to stay the same, -
8:00 - 8:03what changes is who’s in power
choosing how to lay the blame, -
8:03 - 8:06they’re naming names,
forgetting these are names of people, -
8:06 - 8:09because in the end
it all comes down to people. -
8:09 - 8:10I like people.
-
8:10 - 8:13'Cause even when the situation’s dire,
-
8:13 - 8:15it is only ever people
who are able to inspire, -
8:15 - 8:17and on paper,
it’s hard to see how we all cope. -
8:18 - 8:21But in the bottom of Pandora’s box
there’s still hope, -
8:21 - 8:23and I still hope
'cause I believe in people. -
8:23 - 8:26People like my grandparents.
-
8:26 - 8:28Who every single day since I was born,
-
8:28 - 8:31have taken time out of their morning
to pray for me. -
8:31 - 8:35That’s 7892 days straight
of someone checking I’m okay, -
8:35 - 8:36and that’s amazing.
-
8:36 - 8:39People like my aunt who puts on
plays with prisoners. -
8:39 - 8:42People who are capable
of genuine forgiveness. -
8:42 - 8:43People like the persecuted Palestinians.
-
8:43 - 8:46People who go out of their way
to make your life better, -
8:46 - 8:48and expect nothing in return.
-
8:48 - 8:50You see, people have potential
to be powerful. -
8:50 - 8:53Just because the people in power
tend to pretend to be victims -
8:53 - 8:55we don’t need to succumb to that system.
-
8:55 - 8:57And a paper population is no different.
-
8:57 - 9:01There’s a little paper me.
And a little paper you. -
9:01 - 9:04And in a pop-up population
people's problems pop up too, -
9:04 - 9:07but even if the whole world fell apart
then we’d still make it through. -
9:07 - 9:09Because we’re people.
-
9:09 - 9:11Thank you.
-
9:11 - 9:15(Applause)
-
9:28 - 9:31Thank you very much.
I've just got time for one more. -
9:31 - 9:34For me, poetry has been the ultimate way
of ideas without frontiers. -
9:34 - 9:36When I first started,
-
9:36 - 9:39the people who inspired me
were the ones with the amazing stories, -
9:39 - 9:43and I thought, as an 18-year-old
with a happy life, it was too normal, -
9:43 - 9:46but I could create these worlds
where I could talk about my experiences -
9:46 - 9:48and dreams and beliefs.
-
9:48 - 9:51So it's amazing to be here
in front of you today. -
9:51 - 9:52Thank you for being here.
-
9:52 - 9:54If you weren't here,
-
9:54 - 9:56it would be pretty much
like the soundcheck yesterday. -
9:56 - 9:58(Laughter)
-
9:58 - 10:01And this is more fun.
-
10:01 - 10:03So this last one is called
"The Sunshine Kid." -
10:03 - 10:05Thank you very much for listening.
-
10:06 - 10:09Old man sunshine was proud of his sun,
-
10:09 - 10:12And it brightened his day
to see his little boy run, -
10:12 - 10:15Not because of what he’d done,
nor the problems overcome, -
10:15 - 10:18But that despite that his disposition
remained a sunny one. -
10:18 - 10:20It hadn’t always been like this.
-
10:20 - 10:23There’d been times when he’d tried
to hide his brightness, -
10:23 - 10:25You see, every star
hits periods of hardship, -
10:25 - 10:28It takes a brighter light
to inspire them through the darkness. -
10:28 - 10:31If we go back to when
he was born in a nebula, -
10:31 - 10:33We know that he never
was thought of as regular, -
10:33 - 10:35Because he had a flair about him,
-
10:35 - 10:37To say the Midas touch is wrong
-
10:37 - 10:39but all he went near
seemed to turn a little bronze, -
10:39 - 10:42Yes this sun was loved
by some more than others, -
10:42 - 10:45It was a case of Joseph
and his dreamcoat and his brothers -
10:45 - 10:47Because standing out from the crowd
had its pros and its cons, -
10:47 - 10:50And jealousy created enemies
in those he outshone -
10:50 - 10:51Such as the Shadow People.
-
10:51 - 10:54Now the Shadow People
didn’t like the Sunshine Kid, -
10:54 - 10:56Because he showed up the dark things
the Shadow People did, -
10:56 - 11:00And when he shone he showed
the places where the Shadow People hid, -
11:00 - 11:02So the Shadow People had
an evil plan to get rid of him, -
11:02 - 11:04First up -- they made fun of his sunspots,
-
11:04 - 11:07Shooting his dreams from the sky,
their words were gunshots, -
11:07 - 11:10Designed to remind him
he wasn’t very cool -
11:10 - 11:12And he didn’t fit in with any
popular kids at school. -
11:12 - 11:16They said his head was up in space
and they would bring him down to Earth, -
11:16 - 11:19Essentially he came from nothing
and that is what he was worth, -
11:19 - 11:21He’d never get to go
to university to learn, -
11:21 - 11:24Only degrees he’d ever show
would be the first degree burns -
11:24 - 11:25From those that came too close,
-
11:25 - 11:27they told him he was too bright,
-
11:27 - 11:29That’s why no one ever
looked him in the eyes, -
11:29 - 11:30His judgment became clouded
-
11:30 - 11:33So did the sky,
With evaporated tears -
11:33 - 11:34as the sun started to cry.
-
11:34 - 11:39Because the sunshine kid was bright,
with a warm personality, -
11:39 - 11:41And inside he burned savagely
-
11:41 - 11:43Hurt by the words and curses
of the shadowy folk -
11:43 - 11:46who spoke holes in his soul
and left cavities, -
11:46 - 11:49and as his heart hardened,
his spark darkened, -
11:49 - 11:52Every time they called him names
it cooled his flames, -
11:52 - 11:55He thought they might like him
if he kept his light dim -
11:55 - 11:58But they were busy telling lightning
she had terrible aim, -
11:58 - 12:01He couldn’t quite get to grips
with what they said, -
12:01 - 12:03So he let his light be eclipsed
by what they said, -
12:03 - 12:06He fell into a Lone Star State like Texas,
-
12:06 - 12:08And felt like he’d been punched
in his solar plexus. -
12:08 - 12:12But that’s when
Little Miss Sunshine came along -
12:12 - 12:15Singing her favorite song
about how we’re made to be strong, -
12:15 - 12:19And you don’t have to be wrong to belong,
just be true to who you are, -
12:19 - 12:20because we are all stars at heart.
-
12:20 - 12:24Little Miss Sunshine was hot stuff,
-
12:24 - 12:26The kind of girl when you looked at her
-
12:26 - 12:28you forgot stuff,
-
12:28 - 12:31But for him, there was no forgetting her,
-
12:31 - 12:33The minute he saw her
her image burned in his retina, -
12:33 - 12:36She was out of this world,
and she accepted him, -
12:36 - 12:39Something about this girl meant he knew
whenever she was next to him, -
12:39 - 12:42Things weren’t as dark as they seemed,
and he dared to dream, -
12:42 - 12:45Shadows were nowhere to be seen;
when she was there he beamed, -
12:45 - 12:47His eyes would light up
in ways that can’t be faked, -
12:47 - 12:50When she grinned her rays erased
the razor-tipped words of hate, -
12:50 - 12:53They gave each other nicknames
they were "cool star" and "fun sun," -
12:53 - 12:56And gradually the shadowy
damage became undone, -
12:56 - 13:00She was one in a septillion,
and she was brilliant, -
13:00 - 13:03Could turn the coldest blooded
reptilians vermillion, -
13:03 - 13:05Loved by billions,
from Chileans to Brazilians, -
13:05 - 13:08And taught the Sunshine Kid
the meaning of resilience. -
13:08 - 13:12She said: “All the darkness in the world
-
13:12 - 13:15cannot put out the light
from a single candle -
13:15 - 13:18So how the hell can they
handle your light? -
13:18 - 13:20Only you can choose to dim it,
and the sky is the limit, -
13:20 - 13:22so silence the critics by burning.”
-
13:22 - 13:25And if eyes are windows to the soul
then she drew back the curtains -
13:25 - 13:27And let the sun shine
through the hurting. -
13:27 - 13:30In a universe of adversity
these stars stuck together, -
13:30 - 13:33And though days became nights
the memories would last forever, -
13:33 - 13:35Whether the weatherman
said it or not, it would be fine, -
13:35 - 13:38'Cause even behind the clouds
the kid could still shine. -
13:38 - 13:41Yes, the Sunshine Kid was bright,
with a warm personality, -
13:41 - 13:42And inside he burned savagely,
-
13:42 - 13:45Fueled by the fire
inspired across galaxies -
13:46 - 13:48By the girl who showed him belief.
-
13:49 - 13:50Thank you very much.
-
13:50 - 13:53(Applause)
- Title:
- A love poem for lonely prime numbers | Harry Baker | TEDxExeter
- Description:
-
This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Performance poet (and math student) Harry Baker spins a love poem about his favorite kind of numbers — the lonely, love-lorn prime. Stay on for two more lively, inspiring poems from this charming performer.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDxTalks
- Duration:
- 14:06
TED Translators admin edited English subtitles for Grand Slam Poetry Champion | Harry Baker | TEDxExeter | ||
TED Translators admin edited English subtitles for Grand Slam Poetry Champion | Harry Baker | TEDxExeter | ||
TED Translators admin approved English subtitles for Grand Slam Poetry Champion | Harry Baker | TEDxExeter | ||
Ivana Korom edited English subtitles for Grand Slam Poetry Champion | Harry Baker | TEDxExeter | ||
Ivana Korom edited English subtitles for Grand Slam Poetry Champion | Harry Baker | TEDxExeter | ||
Ivana Korom edited English subtitles for Grand Slam Poetry Champion | Harry Baker | TEDxExeter | ||
Ivana Korom accepted English subtitles for Grand Slam Poetry Champion | Harry Baker | TEDxExeter | ||
Ivana Korom edited English subtitles for Grand Slam Poetry Champion | Harry Baker | TEDxExeter |