Mayda del Valle at the White House Poetry Jam (2 of 8)

[89MusicLuv]

That was sick def liked it

[apointedream]

I truly love her style and the way she her words stir emotions and thoughts within me

[SENIADOITBIG]

I wish you would come to Florida!

[mrkingvon1]

real word.

[gpitts2009]

This young woman spoke today at the Hispanic Women's Corporation 26th Annual Luncheon in Phoenix and she made my heart soar with this piece. You rock it Mayda del Valle

[PeaceZoneEmpowerment]

Thank you First Lady for bringing Mayda to your house - her flow cleared the WH of hidden things.

[lynziekynzie]

I love this. I watch it all the time. I can relate completely. My grandmother is such a strong woman, and up next to her I feel so obsolete and weak. I search for faith and strength like hers.

[msqueared]

Somewhere out there her mom and grandma are saying..."That's my baby!!" lol

[luc59457]

Always watch a video a second time, it's not all that good the second time, sometimes.

[ibanezmk1]

@luc59457 can't step in the river the same place twice

[luc59457]

It's just poetry, read between the lines

[BillieHoliday420]

She shouldn't read her text.

[BloodyRageNoMore]

@BillieHoliday420

Poetry is poetry.

[hovhifha]

wooooooooooooooow

[hovhifha]

who is she?????

someone plz give me a small bio

i loooooooooooooooove her

[hovhifha]

woooooooooooooooooooow

[knoll99]

She was super nervous- and Great!  Good job Ms. del Valle!

[Ladisjaki]

I am a student at the University of Oreogn who would love to have her visit our campus. Anyone know how to get into contact with her?

[zmadecm33]

where can i get a copy of this poem, is there a book that i can buy? anybody somebody must know....hey youtube help me out!

[CardShark1015]

We saw this in class, and I was stunned. Speechless.

[joijoi242]

woah!!!!!! amazing!

[Shelllium]

You get out of art what you bring to it.

[TheAxis456]

really good, just wish she wasn't reading it off of paper.

[zmadecm33]

@TheAxis456

Im not sure if possible to recite poem that long without looking at it, in front of that crowd...president n all

[TVSpectre]

haha this chick's name is maida vale.. big up london muthafuckassss brap brap brap!!

[yourforeverqueen]

@molitovguardian fuck you



[molitovguardian]

@yourforeverqueen

haha oh no! I've been told "fuck you" by "yourforeverqueen"!!1111one

Tits or get the fuck out if you're a girl, if you're a guy - congratulations. & besides, just because I don't like the poet doesn't make me a bad person. That just shows how little you know about the craft. The movement of poetry she's allowing her breath to carry into ignorant ears is shitty, it's worse than farfism. The fact that not one modern confessionalist or beater can bother me, you twat.

[molitovguardian]

@molitovguardian ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ this is an awesome comment, I stand by this.

[katrobella]

You rock Mayda....

[AmbientDiversion]

You want to see real poetry...?

Try Donald Hall

(2006 poet Laureate)

Try Octavio Paz

Try Marguerite Johnson (you may know her as Maya Angelou)

And BE WELL and keep reading!

[tulip2111]

WOW. I almost cried. Its spectacular

[felisitas21]

i keep watchen this over and over.... i love it !!

[Shaddyboi101]

WOW......

[gangstamind187]

@TacosandHotdogs when is she coming?

[allTRIPLE1]

Go Girl!!!

I watched her before on Def Jam.

[AmbientDiversion]

WHY TO ALL CONTEMPORARY POETS HAVE THE SAME TIRED mantra?they are like the endless "wiggers" that speak the street slang as though they have no choice... its all make believe - Urban strife? LOL in a country that has a cheeseburger and bottle of water on EVERY street corner?

Only if people like this privileged women could see how the rest of the world lives.

[tulip2111]

@AmbientDiversion Im not sure you understand what her "mantra" is.

[AmbientDiversion]

@tulip2111 I appreciate that you are defending an artist you are fond of - but my comment is more about the "def Jam" corporate exploitation of middle and low income Americans that gravitate to the Urban / Hip Hop sub culture. Surely you recognize that just as surely as Hippies aren't 'born' with the surfer dude vernacular (saying dude etc) these urban poets aren't born with the same "gangster" disposition as seen on MTV...

[franciso7]

@AmbientDiversion

lawl you dont know shit...you dunno her path...

she started in the streets andf thats the environment i used to see her in..so i m actually kinda surprised to see her on some obama-ish stuff

[AmbientDiversion]

@franciso7 the streets? you make me laugh. go to the "streets" of Somalia where death is the only escape from pain and hunger. Go to the "Streets" of the west bank - where entire street corners are destroyed at random... Go to the "streets" of Columbia - you couldnt even survive the "Streets" of mexico...

Our homeless people live like kings in this country... you inner city ghetto kids make me laugh. You need to see the world around you before you go crying about how tough it is on "The streets"

[franciso7]

@AmbientDiversion

lol

pain is not relative.

but i wasnt talkin about anything emotional here..just refering to the word as "urban" community....

and yeah, i'm from africa

[JungleBeast00]

@AmbientDiversion Each person's life is tough to some degree. Anonymously dismissing the problems of people in our country doesn't help anyone in pain..

[TacosandHotdogs]

Can't wait to see her at UCLA

[RandomWaffles]

What's the name of this poem? 

[FDPrincess412]

WOW

[87SavageHenry]

im so moved. i mean hard

[Glamrockateer]

what is this called???

[MiXeDbRaZiLiAnMaMi]

@Glamrockateer the name of the poem is a faith like yours, if you check somewhere on google you can find a copy of it

[rfvietnamrose]

Maya, and her truly miraculous words!!! Thanks first family... I enjoyed watching... We pray for peace of the world. Thank you Mr President/ Thanks America!

[holywud1]

WOW.....Outstanding Performance...truly the best recital (if I am using the right term) I have ever witnessed....and in front of the President of the U.S.A....Magnificent..I just became a fan of Mayda

[demsorbust]

"...We are all truly miraculous." God, this is so beautifully powerful. Not just my ears, but my whole body heard and felt her words. Beautiful.

[woodz666]

"Abuela, how did you pray before someone told you who your God should be? How did you hold the earth in your hands and thank her for its fecundity? Did the sea wash away your sadness?"

I've listened to this so many times and I always get goosebumps. I think she's amazing.

[baudbwoy]

NEVA a disappointment don't like that she is reading from paper though.

[nenabonita23]

*tears* What a powerful piece, thank you for sharing your light with us Mayda. =)

[gsamuel99]

powerful.. i love that line "that whether gathered in marble temples around a midnight fire or block party speakers we have always raised our hands to the sky trying to touch the invisible force that holds these cells together into a fragile mass.."

aren't we all..

[JazzBass7]

@gsamuel99 Indeed we are. Too true and so true.

[lilyjaderose]

wow one of her best. does anyone know the name of this piece?

[lalaknyce]

SHE'S MY INSPIRATION, CANT BELIEVE THE PRES WAS THERE!!!KEEP DOIN YAH THING MAMA!!!!MANY OF US R BEHIND U!!!!PEACE!

[YourLonely1]

the 14 people who disliked this have no idea what true art is. This is absolutely amazing!

[TimHGuitar]

These poets are so good!

[ANGELCHICA06]

WHooooooooooooo this was a awesome poem!!! You Go Mayda!!!!

[seizetheday224]

Each of her poems is incredibly profound and speaks so clearly. I love this one.

[onthebrink11]

i can't get over her.

it's funny, i got a chance to meet her in person, and off the stage she's so cute and precious and kind of reserved. but when she gets up there it's like something goes off in her brain and... well i guess this happens. unbelievable.

[Musicaldrugie]

@onthebrink11 you are sooooooooooooooooooo lucky. she's my favorite.

[BlasphemousPothead]

This is so moving.....It gave me such a powerful feeling, I fell out of the window and crashed into the windshield of my neighbors car. I started crying more and screaming, then I smashed my forehead through the windshield and cried. Luckily, despite breaking nearly seven bones, including my hip, this moving poem helped me get through. I am so grateful. I think about this wonderful poem all the time. Broken glass hurts. But I am safe now. Oh my god. Wow. Powerful words.

[soyluv]

wow. this piece moved my eyes to water as i viewed it. made me think about my own lineage: my mums, grandma who passed. some of the familiar imagery. gorgeous, gorgeous poem. simply gorgeous.

[BlasphemousPothead]

I cried so hard that I ran into a wall headfirst. I was so moved. I cried for at least an hour before I smashed through my living room window. That hurt. I kept crying for at least six hours until the possums in the backyard began eating my broken leg. Luckily this poem helped me get through that difficult time, and I'm here alive today. I was so moved. I cried like a baby for the first time. I was moved. Cried so hard. I couldn't see through the tears and I fell down a staircase. I am paralyzed

[houseguy007]

@BlasphemousPothead LOL!

[BlasphemousPothead]

@houseguy007

ahaha. I'm serious.

[katrobella]

Wooooooooow............yeeeeea­aaaaaaaaa dat was powerful

[5sizes2big]

I would have been so nervous if I was her!

[ejrocks123]

heres the weird thing we had an event at our school and i got a chance to meet her and she is the koolest person you could meet and she did this exact poem from her head pretty sick

[dngirmeriil1]

try look her up in "Race is the Place" where she explores the inheritence of race. She's amazing.

[calderwis]

I did not expect to be so moved by this. Spectacular poem.

[Timoshua]

This Goes Hard......

[realsoul80]

wow...

[theguardianreturns]

damnnnnnnnnnn

[Glamrockateer]

beautiful. i cried. <3

[guruamrit1084]

I STILL get goosebumps and i've seen it 5 times!

[oldnewbieraver]

me too.

[CardShark1015]

@guruamrit1084 I got shivers throughout my whole body at the end,

[Isambay]

Real cool...

[lexwhite21]

She inspires me

[jogobelei]

She put that out loud n clear. Definetly in touch with her roots....many people won't get it, goes to show how cultured they are.

[InternalCompass]

You are correct my friend, but it's not just a matter of being "cultured". It's also a matter of understanding the truth and the reality of our past and our present.

[jogobelei]

that is very true...understanding the past and understanding the present of our ancestors and the future generation as well as the present. thank you for that! :D

[InternalCompass]

@ jogobelei

Well said!

[krucial707]

WOW.....she gave me goosebumps....i damn near teard halfway thru.....amazing words.....

[tbpromo]

Thas my girl!!!!

[intriguebaby]

boh!

[NYCDRAGONKING]

this has got to be one of the most moving poems i've come across!

[beenn15]

@NYCDRAGONKING look up "def poetry jam" on YouTube... you'll be amazed at the plethora of talents that's out there.

[d3ThS33kEr]

Wow! Just wow! I was blown away!

[dubbeltje1971]

Wow...this moves me.

[raisamit]

quite disgusting feeling from unnatural, and based on nothing in her successful life and carreer, rage. what does her anger stem from - she doesn't look disadvantaged in any way, received best education in the world in the best country in the world, and yet it is not enough! what else white people need to do to make her feel better - cease altogether? and she has white blood herself!...boy, did obama enjoy it.

[shewitey]

h it is so moving beyond measure!

[mike50333]

Now that was inspiring. :)

This is the sort of stuff that you don't get to privilege to hear about on the news channels.

[gbalah162]

wow. that was truely amazing. I've never read her work but I think I've found motivation to do so.

[kassem435]

wth is this i cliket

[anfwf2]

I got to meat her once when she came to Oakland, CA, I shake her hand y todo!!!

[ChemicalMikeUK]

one day she may be a grandma.

[fivepoints]

hey, that was good

[sanfordhousing]

The African American experience tree is bearing fruit. not bitter or dry , but sweet filled with the wisdom of 'the love of truth" I was in Washington DC and the south in 1965 during segregation. the movement in my memory is prompted by sense of loss that so many have not lived to see this come to pass feel the vibes the tree is strong my brothers and sisters it was planted before you were born and watered by your peoples tears and sweat be patient , you will understand peace and love America

[Fahumsixtysix]

What a passionate piece. You can feel her total yearning to connect her self, spiritually, with her ancestry.

[louielamson2000]

Spoken words-English poetry its powerful language, deep meaning and influence INTO THE WORLD

Rewrite poetry to make songs. Thanks.

[cjrlee]

Mayda del Valle aka Mz. Shut It Down! She's SUPERBAD!

[2xtream]

Watch the Obama Deception and you will see truth.

watch?v=eAaQNACwaLw

[limefg123]

hahha look at this dude.. "the obama deception" aright aright great critique of obama and exposing his fiendish ways..now do you have anything intelligent to say about mayda and this video..?

[ACTINGDRAMA]

Please research the person who made the Obama Deception.

That movie is full of half truths. Do your own damn research. Don't believe a damn movie.

[1787patriot]

thank you for your wisdom

[margoliesmedia]

its a very interesting movie and does arouse suspicion, and sure maybe some things are true, but yea like ACTINGDRAMA said, many half truths

[HoliHallow]

I hear a bit of gospel in the way she delivered it, but I liked it, alot of rhythem and passion went into that :)

[GrandTheftAuto4Films]

Where do ignorant idiots go? Have no fear! They are easy to find, just come here and look at the comments below.

[gallyblue]

all I can say is WOW!

[1787patriot]

It is not all i can say...but I agree....James Earl Jones doing Othello was remarkable, But a poet with this passion, using her own mind/words, was even more so.....wow

[DaQueenNini]

dis is touchin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!

[ROLLGRAB]

Are we supposed to be able to keep up with this garblliage on the first listen.

[brain96969]

A sharp tongue sometimes cuts its own throat. -- Jim Scancarrelli

[saskiapanter]

WOW, that was done with a lot of Passion. WOW

[jez3belly]

I would insult you, but I'd have to give you a dictionary first. Idiot.

[thepetershowUSA]

bilge

[supermike2164]

that was niceeeeeeeeee

[Fellowdc2007]

She is Gorgeous!

[baribrad]

excrement

[bombasticlyfantastic]

amazing.

[WorldIslamicOrder]

boringggggggggggggggg

[tonyrich300]

This is extremely amazing...more people need to watch this.

[lirothen]

the first word was better than the inauguration poem XD

[ObamaSupporter4ever]

Brava!!!

[ObamaSupporter4ever]

Breathtaking!!!

[erthdirt1]

Don't be a blind follower, watch the Obama Deception here on you tube before you give you're undying support to a man you only know through what popular media tells you. (CNN, ABC, CBS, Time magazine, Essense etc. all of which are elite-corporate sponsors with special interests).

[alycat1624]

inspiring!

[todnyc]

I heard she plagiarized that from Geithner's notebook

[terrence0258]

She should have done the inauguration poem.

[2xtream]

lost in someone elses dream frolicking amidst madness dangling by a dream and making no sense of this commotion; words of insanity spewing forth like lava bulldozing its way past everything that came in the path; how do I explain what goes on inside the deepest shadows of your government lost

[erthdirt1]

Sweet lulubys lull the lost ones into 400 million siestas sedated and separated from sight by sonnets and forget me nots and whisperings of sweet nothings, yes the coyote is amongst us in the chicken coup but we're to blind to see the forest for trees, never will we be free captivated in captivity by illuminati playwrights.

[pawlied]

My president is so awesome for hosting this.

[Fellowdc2007]

She is beautiful!

[geodesicks]

Anybody else got goosebumps?

[whynot9899]

I am speechless, that was deep.

[mcavene]

Breathtakingly beautiful.

[FUl0VECk]

...well said!

[lmashua]

wow this is great

[ivietunisha]

Excellent

[1980tricia1980]

i love her she is so good i listen to her on def poetry on youtube always like what she has to say and she always put some history in it

[jobeanlu]

Please ignore disparaging comments, no point in engaging negative people. Their subscribed so whether they admit it or not they're interested in what the Obamas are doing, and to justify their interest they feel they have to leave a negative comments to dirupt the positivity.

[2xtream]

Obamanator love children will wake up one day, with wonderful thoughts fading away sitting on a curb after he took your home. You fail to see the coyote is in your chicken coup and he will eat you all. Only by the time you wake up from the spell, your lives as you know it will be gone forever. I was merely showing you how unjust that seemed but your government is doing just that to Americans NOW! Over 1.5 million Americans on the no fly list with no reason and no court. Labeled as Terrorist

[tosh602]

the obama's are so cool for having a poetry nite

[2xtream]

This is Hate Speech. She needs to be taken away as a Terrorist and put on the No Fly No Buy List.

[RRainey20]

Yeah, because expressing yourself and being proud where you came from is hate speech. Fucking idiot. But I bet you're proud that you're a redneck.

[brain96969]

Brilliant poem and presentation!

Thank you :)

[ladyk200312]

every time mayda del valle performs a new poem i dont think it can get much better but it can:)

[ImaSumac4ever]

it's not fair. They should warn you before you see this type of videos. I'm changed.

[1980tricia1980]

question how did it change you

[ImaSumac4ever]

it made me rethink my relationship

(or lack there of) with both my grandmothers.

[1980tricia1980]

so i guess you can say it was a good thing for you jus was askin ty for answering

[ImaSumac4ever]

heckyeah it was a good thing! i just wasn't prepared, you know?

[jobeanlu]

Hurry up and put the whole thing up WH staff :) Why couldn't the entire event be put in one video? I watched it the night of te event it was a livestreamed on the WH website. Very enjoyable.

[Skurgefaust]

Bring on part 3 !!!

[NotEvsie]

I would love to see a full video of that event!

[jazzigurl0889]

obama is sooo cool, bush never did anything like this!

[radiahw]

Oh snap! Like I really got teary eyed listening to this. Can't wait to see the rest.

[AfricanMadman]

This is how it's suppose to be.....

A place to shine to our leaders... Not just a bunch of judges with broken careers....

[KlingongBane]

fucking hell, talk about awesome

[dlacc187]

okay enough of that.......bring on jigga.

[twim20]

she is amazing! and she is from Chicago..what what!!

[abfmariachi]

Yeah! The White house is now representative of Americans!

[BijiSan]

That chick rocks!