Rives Def Jam

[ninalovesjorgie]

divine!

[talkindurinthemovie]

I forgot how beautiful this poem was

[iampeeay01]

nice video... i have a cousin who was born deaf/mute and he was really laughing while watching this video... thanks for making him smile... :)

[63ar]

Love love love

[lolbethanyxx]

I'm nearing tears... wow

[sydney72240]

How could somebody NOT like this poem though?

[amora433]

this is awesome =D

-Anthony Moran

[tdaws1]

I watched this for lit. Todd Dawson

[bravone1]

@hellotob2 u suck too too your mama sucking dick right now go get her she in the corner. NEXT!

[MusicISlove9224]

im stalking this man...trying to find all his poems...he's awesomee!!

[gimmedap]

Love everything this guy does. Check him out on TED. Only wish I could find more.

[shukakuladi]

Deaf Poetry lol

[GarrettBroadnax]

And I mean this in the most poetic sense, what a baller.

[WestWoodVarsity]

Favorite guy right here, that last poem gives me chills for real..

[Glynnisable]

I love this poem, love it.

[LINKdrkguy]

sticky icky icky♥

[BeerGogglesReviews]

Deaf poetry jams.

[BeerGogglesReviews]

"The silence in my house was deafening." WOW!!

[thoseonechicks13]

This is my cousin. Forreal. Not making it up. He's awesome as a person and a poet. Thanks for loving him, you guys!

[AnonymouseTheMusical]

Goosebumps.

[TheRealChrisAllen]

This poem is so inspirational. Rives really helped me become a slam poet, haha. If you like slam, you should check out my channel!

[whatwasithinking1]

Beauty may well be god given in the eye of the beholder . Do we really lose that as we grow older . Why must I always act as if I have the whole world on my shoulders . Unneeded responsabiles . Too many people act as my enemies . War ends nothing it only adds up the fatalities . Now try telling me it was worth it . Nothing in this world is so why are you expecting me to be prefect

[3morenosfam]

Wow!! Freak'n cool!!

[TacoforThought]

I kinda sorta love this.

[Careelo]

that last part is what really got me....powerful

[wackyjackie1494]

Is there ANY way that this is published in print somewhere? It's beautiful!

I've been competing with this poem on my high school speech team and it's always been received very well--I need a published print version to be able to bring it to this year's Nationals.

I absolutely love Rives!

[kupellupy]

i literally tear at this. Deep poetry. 

[askaichin]

fucking powerful shit

[behinddacurtain]

2:42 amazing

[MajesticTOASTER]

I was born as deaf and as quiet as a starfish,

but if I had been born a man,

I would pray to the Lord above every night,

at the top of my fucking lungs just to thank him

for giving me voice.

Absolutely brilliant.

[supaflyhoe]

36 people take their senses for granted, fuck you.

[Bianaclicoious]

yall that i must say wuz deep

[G0LDENL0VEMUSIC]

HE`S DOPE !  - TO THE DUDES THAT ARE CRITICISING , JUST APPRECIATE IT FOR THE IDEA... SO WHUT IF HIS SIGN ISN`T THAT GREAT

[ProphNasty]

Can you hear me now? NO!!! hha okay this was dope

[xxAnpublackops004xx]

this is so good man

[funnyxisxgoodx1]

yes!

[ummaryam86]

i just learned the sign for bull shit ...lol!

[JustCassandra2010]

@ummaryam86 haha omg yess that was the best i showed all my friends the sign

[LucidDream]

His poetry almost always makes me want to cry. I love poets who are able to do that.

[encore543]

HOME WORK .. is bull shit

[RawEssence4u]

HELP US PUSH THE TRUTH ABOUT LOVE AND LUST SPOKEN WORD-WATCH OUR VIDS AND SUBCRIBE-ITS CALLED INCEPTON

[ahmaani3]

i loved it through and through!!!

[theraginazncajun]

this is pretty terrible ASL, but I love the poem

[paper33]

"last night i dreamt i was little again

i could hear back then

but the silence in my house

was deafening"

that has to be one of the most intriguing things ive ever heard

[automatichannah]

@paper33 This one gives me shivers.

[ishnookie]

such conviction on his passion makes me respect him

[KaptKan1]

Do a YT search for "Sia On Letterman". Sia Furler sings along with one of her most moving songs; the performance is astounding.

[xenophile2]

I am Deaf and I would like to know what he is saying because it is not very clear (he only signs a few of the words). Can you do a transcript? :)

[brandonbeard2000]

@xenophile2 "I work some times at a school for deaf kids. We put on poetry readings and poetry slams...we call them 'Deaf poetry Jams'. One poets poem goes, 'The night we met so many moons shine down on us so bright, I though hey maybe those moons have mistaken us for their gods.' Another poets poem goes ' I I I Me Me Me My My My Doesn't anyone tell a story anymore?' And another poets poem goes

[brandonbeard2000]

@xenophile2 'last night I dreamed that I was little again and I could hear back then, but the silence in my house was deafening.' Some of the kids only write about being deaf others make a joke, some make a mention and other chose to bypass the subject all together. Much like the poets on this stage with gender or skin color so you get goofy haiku like 'homework is bullshit and inspires nothing out of me but vomit' and poems like

[brandonbeard2000]

@xenophile2 I sent the rest to your inbox

[juno0890]

@xenophile2 so his signging is correct? I'm learning ASL so I'm unsure... lol

[eg3000gt]

@juno0890 no!

[xenophile2]

@juno0890 No, not really. The few of the words he signs are barely intelligible--to me anyway.

[flippinup]

@juno0890 not really. he is not very good doing it. i am hard of hearing and know.

[iLoveCrissAngel01]

OH  MY GOSH..

RESPECT<33333

[leobermi]

beautiful and funny. Brilliant.

[love4noreason]

wow

[Moonmanwalker]

If you liked that look up Dante basco

[ps365gamer]

Dude that was fucking deep

[SeanCozy]

I'm not deaf nor do I know anyone who is, but this is one of the best and most touching poems I've heard

[vinakay]

Artist wanted for Def Jam Street Showcase : 347 258 1078 - for details

[gramps2matt]

This is the greatest tribute ever to the ABILITY in people with a DISability. Aint the ADAPTability cool......these are high schoolers who don't pass notes they just sign shit behind your back. Notes can be confiscated sign language out of teacher's line of vision.........AMAZING!!!

[OBZRV82]

Tight

[bravone1]

he suck

[hellome2be]

@bravone1...u suck

[stackadolla23]

Lol @bullshit sign

[cookiemonster0088]

last night I dreamt I was little again an I could hear back then but the silence in my house was defining........favorite part tho the whole thing is amazingggggg!

[cookiemonster0088]

I <3 this

[Lydiaabbey]

Deafornot dot c om is an online community for deaf, ASL and hearing-impaired friends and singles!

Have fun with photos, message boards, chat, blog and more.

[LucidDream]

I don't know how many times I've watched this and it still makes my eyes water.

[zayan0013]

The last line got me. in a good way.

[sonofranfan]

is he a coda?

[IronbreakerFTW]

That was amazing. This guy is the best poet I have seen on Def Jam.

[WyKeDnCaLi]

AWESOME!!!!!

[laser8389]

Wow, this is amazing!

[takbuster14all]

DEAF ROCKS!!!!!

[waterwulf]

Amazing, you do not need speech, in order to have your own voice. He seperates the literal meaning and figurative meaning of "having your own voice". Brilliant.

[Vixtopher]

That's it. I need to get this series on DVD or something. These poets are fucking brilliant~

[DJonelove]

Nice I learned alot of new signs... good shit

[neotri45]

what is the name of the beat at the start of this video?

[CCBaby]

THAT WAS FREAKIN AMAZING!

[malampetang]

hollyyyyyy shhhiiiii!!! woooww . speechless

[hijaabiforlife]

WOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!! l that was deep

[alysiera619]

you can speak sign LANGUAGE . . its a LANGUAGE and languages are SPOKEN . . . just through your hands. anywho. this poem is amazing : )

[briantheman890]

speak - "To utter words or articulate sounds with ordinary speech modulation; talk"

sounds... sign language = no sound.. therefor you dont speak it

[KneesKnow]

Youre a real asshole. Those kids have a greater voice than you ever will.

[briantheman890]

@KneesKnow lol i have a voice, it can make noises. i am not a mute... they have more actions then i may ever have. but i am the winner of the voice battle.

grab a mute kid, and me, give us each a microphone and see who can record a voice

[thirteenfingers]

Even with that amazing gift of voice of which you seem so bullishly proud, you seem like the kind who says far less worth hearing than those who say nothing you hear with ears.

What a shame.

What a waste.

I'd rather listen to their hands than see your voice... any day of the week.

[popsizcrazy]

@thirteenfingers how do you see a voice?

[thirteenfingers]

A couple of ways...

Firstly it was a reference to him (briantheman890)  "using his voice" in a text-based medium. Seeing his words/voice.

Secondly I was playing with words. He was wrote about making noise and sounds.

I said I'd rather listen to their hands than see his voice as a different way of wording it, but also to suggest the mute have more to say that's worth hearing than he does.

Also, you *see* a mute's voice when they sign.

Then there's lip-reading. But that's not what I meant. ;o)

[popsizcrazy]

@thirteenfingers o ok just wondering

[thirteenfingers]

I figured as much. :D

(Just after I posted that last comment I heard the bit from 2:25 about hearing hands - that'll be what got me started messing about with the words.)

Brilliant poem though, isn't it? :)

[Ladymav06]

Okay I

just wanna respond to what KIDWON92 said you must the obivously aren't the smartest person YOU DONT SPEAK SIGN LANGUAGE moron

[itasmefunnymonkey]

booooo

who cares we dont hav to get technical, its just a comment

[KneesKnow]

Have some damn respect!

[Mrsaiaihelltune]

Rives always gives me goosebumps.. I love his poetry :)

[mickeyb1000]

This guy is really lame.

[Godsend77]

This was good. Have to follow the content.

[DamnedHoax]

The last line, blew my fucking mind.

[Zfranchise]

I can't stop replaying this over and over.

[Jelloxox]

MAN ID LOVE TO GO TO ONE OF HIS SHOWS!

[LucidDream]

This is so great. What a wonderful person.

[ramsamsam510]

<3 there can not be any words tht can describe a poem such as this... jus think abt his content...

I LOVE THIS!!!

[makimbi]

mad respect

love it

[n00bmeister065]

Rives has said in interviews with him that he sometimes lies in his poems because one of the reasons he is up on the stage is to entertain the crowd, be it making them laugh or breaking their hearts with a sad poem, he may have been in contact with the deaf community, you dont know his life so you cannot judge and he doesnt steal poems, regardless of what you say :)

[admacs]

so i take it you dont read fiction, go to the movies, or watch plays.

[erick192]

My Parents Are Deaf

So This Poetry Is Really Deep

Too Me

[KDAWGx7777777]

dont be retarted this is mint... V  v V

[Mybigmember]

Im a bit confused was that his voice or someone elses?

[Phenomenonrocks]

Audio seems slight out of sink.

Defiantly him talking, he's just signing things at the same time.

He works/worked with deaf kid, but isn't himself.

Apart from that he is amazing!

[everidaygirl]

well he can talk because he's not MUTE.

and he never said he was deaf, he works with deaf kids.

[kidwon92]

lmao

he wasnt deaf he was jus speaking sign language

[whirly1300]

don be an idiot

[mnkato12]

ahahahah this person has to be kidding me...

[Coburn32]

rives rules

[e198811]

i loved it, i kinda teared up lol

[Shahiida]

me too, it is an Amazing Poem

[PharcydePhreak]

I've said it once, and I'll say it again. BEST POEM EVER

[TitanAC081]

he does visit a class of deaf students and do poetry

[Jahishno]

I was a bit angry when I heard he doesn't actually work at a school for deaf kids. Good poem though.

[irregularbox]

Well this was posted like 3 years ago. He might have been working for one when he wrote the poem. -shrug-

[chatled08]

wow

[bamawuatng]

"We call em deaf poetry jams " ...beast

[Afrodizzyaco]

very inspiring...

[badash13]

that was amazing

[Littabet]

One of my favorites ever. Rives is pretty incredible. What dialect of Sign is he speaking?

[napps1025]

So is he death?

[Kyrabooo]

It's called deaf, not death, but no, I don't think he is. He speaks too well. I could be mistaken, but...

[Meggalif]

no he is not

[youronlyalibi]

makes me cry, and smile, and wonder....outstanding! I could watch this a million times

[sivossi]

I am enthralled. Completely. Amazing.

[nobodylikeshair]

This is beautiful.

[Ic3man995]

love this guys delivery in every poem he does, thats what makes this poet so damn good

[fallingfaster010]

"they just sign it behind your back" lol this is awesome.

[teelityshia]

rives ans shihan are my favourite poets.

[safire718]

boss

[heartb34tx]

As an aspiring English major I am totally in awe of Rives. He nailed the concept of voice and tone, in which case vocalizing is irrelevant more times than not. He is brilliant and I wish I could attend a deaf poetry session; their voice rings loud and clear. In no case does having a voice determine the ability to have one, which Rives has demonstrated perfectly. It was a pleasure to watch, listen, and view. Thank you.

[Carnivorus666]

Funny, sad, flowing, inspiring, poetic, artistic, meaningful...

[coocookachoo22]

does anybody know if he has a website?

[boomdeay8]

shopliftwindchimes com

[Aadonis219]

Raw shit. Loved it

[aball951]

Brilliance.

[S4NT1IE]

wow..

[TruBeliever88]

Brilliant. Simply Brilliant, though there is very little that one could describe as simple in this jam. Truly inspiring, and I find myself with a renewed wonder for the english language.

[Kaishetha]

dang i miss sign language class :(

[nijgnohmik]

The greatest fucking poem that I ever heard

[deetardeded]

I'm fluent in ASL, many of those signs are ASL signs, and it's fine if some signs aren't real because deaf people only communicate half with their hands. its 50% hands, 35% facial expression and 15% lip reading. :)

[ghostwritten87]

This man is a wonder.

[nessamaine]

perfection.

[tbebe4]

I don't know much (if anything about sign language) but I do know about performing and you also have to remember that Rives isn't just a poet... he is a performer. Maybe he's using the "older signs" because they are more visually stimulating to the untrained eye. Like I said I don't know but it would be a good reason from the performance side of things. Just my two cents :-)

<3 Rives!!!

[grunfrauorshell]

"Not too different from the choices poets make here.." True!

[doomsday1216]

by talking like a condescending douchebag it doesnt make you sound any more insulting

[msb2infinity]

he likes his sticky icky!lol!

[annakannie]

ok, this was great...you have to realize, its a spoken word poem! Its about singlanguage being heard...so listen.

[malkalevadom]

one of the best ones out there, I have a verbal crush on this guy. He rocks the words and anything he does is such a wonderful turn-on to the mind, to the soul... with ideas like mockingbirds and kites and emoticons... oh, what can I say, Rives... I <3 U. ;)

[morbidox]

inspiring to a non-deaf poet.

[LostSoundWaves]

Wow.  That was a really good piece, Rives is typically always good but...that was just kickass!