A poem for pole dancers who can't say no | Harry Baker | TEDxExeter

Two poems about the importance of saying "No" and "Why not". They encompasses the first week at university, pole-dancing, Weston-Super-Mare and appreciating the feeling of fleece.
Harry’s performance at TEDxExeter 2014 was featured on TED.com and has already been viewed over 850K times.
www.ted.com/talks/harry_baker_...
Harry Baker (www.harrybaker.co/) has always loved words. He’s been blessed enough to travel round the world with them, winning the Poetry Slam World Cup in 2012 and currently using a maths degree as an excuse to live in Germany and find heaps more new words to play with. With two 5-star Edinburgh Fringe festival shows under his belt, his latest milestone is his 2014 book, The Sunshine Kid.
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TEDxExeter 2015 took the long view both back into the past and ahead into the future. We asked our speakers to help us understand the challenges that face us now - how they shape the way we live, make decisions, and innovate.
Video Production Chromatrope (chromatrope.co.uk/)
Production Manager Andy Robertson ( / familygamertv )
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@aly8515]

"My name is Harry Baker, Harry Baker is my name, If your name was Harry baker, Then our names would be the... Same."

[@sanjanadas9872]

YES

[@mariacassandrataruc2574]

YUP.

[@cIeetz]

i wish i were an oscar meyar weiner that is what i truly like to be cause if i were an oscar meyar weiner everyone would be in love with me. whippee

[@Angelina6518]

Sweet to see poetry Alive!

[@Ineeee]

knees weak, arms are heavy. I screamed.

[@mariacassandrataruc2574]

same hahahaha

[@LookingDownx]

I LOVE UR USERNAME OML OML U GIVE ME LIFE

[@GGUM3]

Seriously under appreciated reaction from audience. Prolly cuz theyre all academics? Either way amazing performance!

[@a_durian]

I feel like that Eminem reference went straight over the crowd's head

[@cIeetz]

he talks so fast and discombobulated half of everything goes over my head

[@bradleym2745]

It did lmao

[@titoburritoisthebestcommun6738]

Damn it Ted, harry didn't get the proper crowd he deserves. MOMS SPAGHETTI. That's for you Harry

[@georgiag3741]

He came to my school today😂 A boy in my year is his cousin, I'm jealous, he's so cool!!

[@eurusirius]

This man is extremely talented! I can see how he was feeling nervous and I appreciate the courage he took to present his poems! I enjoyed the poems! Brilliant, i wish him good luck on his journey!

[@amalandjaz4613]

this audience did not laugh hard enough

[@peachyannie9351]

Amal and Jaz if they laugh too much you can’t hear the perfect voice of Harry styles. I mean Harry Baker....😐

[@Truely2Legit]

Anyone else waiting for the mom's spaghetti?

[@cierracharles8028]

nope haha I felt alittle let down when he didnt but still entertained

[@Ian-sm3su]

+Truely2Legit but he keeps on forgetting what he wrote down, the whole crowd, goes so loud, he opens his mouth, but the words wont come out, hes chokin now, everybodys jokin now, the clocks ran out, times up! ova! blow! That was from the top of my head :D Amazing song, amazing poet, god life is amazing

[@_tlsp_3269]

I started smiling even harder than I already was when he brought up the lyrics:) eminem is just amazing! (thanks by the way Harry Baker for that refference, now i got the lyrics stuck in my head...)

[@AirAfter]

we all wanted it 😭😭😭

[@pipermohring]

Truely2Legit THAT WOULD BE ME

[@evaalordiahmusic]

When he got in with that Eminem I said to myself, Of Course!!!!! Definitely!!Why do I now feel like only a little section of the crowd got it. If he had done this at a high school, everyone would probably go wild!!

[@paapipirate8499]

Eva Alordiah but the high schoolers probably won't get any other part xD

[@aishaohio]

This is Harry, Harry Baker.

[@miri5762]

His presence is adorable

[@OGrqspbxrry]

This man is an amazing poet. Absolutely brilliant

[@jamescorcraighe6183]

that eminem reference though..

[@henryviii267]

yea isn't that copywriter protected lol

[@Ian-sm3su]

+Shawn Kevin its a parody :/

[@MyAce8]

+Shawn Kevin copywriter protected lol

[@manlylemon6269]

+Shawn Kevin Also one the copyright laws allow for references depending on how long the reference is

[@reflux51]

Loved your words Harry.

[@TheSpokenSpatter]

Wow~~Sunshine girl had me in tears.

[@nphanhue5327]

"You're a poet, Harry!”

[@sadiesublousky8097]

Russell's Paradox, I'm in love

[@contemporarygent]

I now want a pair of dungarees.

[@rebeccahutchings1520]

I have grown in what I think is morally attractive, and I like myself as that.

[@jacobgrigg1258]

Truly amazing

[@matthewcupelli5901]

Have him back on!

[@ashleycole6498]

Gotta love Harry Baker

[@merchernel123]

I love him so much

[@Freenure]

So, this is rap for people who don't like rap. Top quality as usual, TED.

[@RomeoBarnes]

Poetry is where rap came from

[@WhatsSkj]

+Freenure rap is poetry lol, it stands for rhythm and poetry.

[@Paylordd]

LOL, I totally agree

[@jetsetters007]

Love it!!

[@Peacemaker_97]

Is there a signer to the side?? Dang, that's some skill in it's own hahaha

[@IbrahimIssa98]

never forghetti mom spaghetti

[@stephaniemcnugg9693]

Let him be

[@sherlockholmeslives.1605]

How does he know all this from memory! I know a 5 line poem by Nicholas Rowe called 'The Brave' from memory but I can't compete with this!

[@alleyzonm312]

Well it's different memorizing other people's stuff vs your own. You're the one giving the words life so they inscribe in you easier.

[@sherlockholmeslives.1605]

I have never written any poetry!

[@CL-vz6ch]

I've got most of my PINs for my bank cards. And my house number... After that I'm struggling.

[@siennablack4690]

"imagine having the fun that you're having and then adding the feeling of fleece" i love him.

[@fawn3931]

"that i can't" omg harry

[@jidaasare7021]

This is hilarious, satirical and sarcastic.

[@melissazwieg2988]

THANK YOU💫HARRY:)

[@MythicalFactory]

what a haiku though

[@meanieeheart4236]

a Japanese poem

[@charleslee1568]

VERY GOOD ... SEHR GUT ....

[@kezikoo]

watching on Feb 25!

[@hannandersha]

Ahaha... XD I knew he was honing his inner eminent one line in.

[@OneLukeShow]

Shout out to LA Confidential, Ealing Broadway!!

[@carlaislandia1634]

Ser poliglota 😍😍😍😍

[@carlaislandia1634]

Língua Inglesa 😍😍😍😍

[@MasterP48HD]

i dig the lyrics, but i just can't understand like half of it

[@abigailkaras5812]

cheers

[@stephaniemcnugg9693]

His palms seem sweaty...

[@stephaniemcnugg9693]

Amazing job mate

[@mariacassandrataruc2574]

the 1975 like the band?

[@stephaniemcnugg9693]

Cassandra Taruc yeah

[@mariacassandrataruc2574]

1975 damn but it is THE 1975...

[@stephaniemcnugg9693]

Yeah I know lmao but that's just how I liked my username so

[@jeff1204abc]

The ting goes skrrrahh, pap, pap, ka-ka-ka

[@BooItsChloe]

Ran my uni pole soc 😂🙏🏻

[@gingerlady11]

fab

[@Amenity25]

Simple Jack?

[@hayllie515]

MOMS SPAGHETTI

[@justinbrewer9776]

Who wears overalls? Great poems

[@pseudopixzie]

me

[@conraddekoning2380]

Harry baker wears overalls😂

[@eshabahal]

I didn't get the Jason Donner Van joke. Can someone please help?

[@mischa2643]

Esha Bahal Jason Donovan

[@tsnmiaiko4094]

Anyone else peep the Eminem quote 😂

[@Tullece]

I need to invest in a fleecy blouse.

[@sanjanadas9872]

SAME LOL

[@e5frog]

This one needs a Chris as well.

[@ruralgrindsman6175]

Great shoulders!

[@kushpatel3553]

25 February my bday lol

[@avishaidadon237]

mine too

[@lukaskennedy7946]

This is not what I expected, lol

[@Apollo-ek9ud]

THE EMINEM REFERENCE IM SCREAMING

[@chado3000]

Any other poem someone would have written the whole thing out in the comments. I'm too deaf to hear and understand this. Kinda takes the fun out of it. 🙄

[@emberlynnguyen3458]

lol Discrete Math

[@J25code2]

i didn't get the song at the end

[@Ian-sm3su]

+J25code2 what didnt ya get?

[@J25code2]

+Dat FancyIan the song, I didn't get where does it come from

[@Ian-sm3su]

J25code2 dont think there was a song reference at the end, do you mean in the middle? when he says knees weak arms are heavy hes referencing Emenem's Lose Yourself song

[@sf5823]

😀

[@martarose6633]

Why is he not a rapper?

[@shrekguy6493]

he is

[@shrekguy6493]

+Geoff Velasco well battle rapper

[@Paylordd]

This is so shit, listen to real RAP

[@cIeetz]

geek flow

[@SteveFranklinPalmer]

He is more of a comedian who rhymes than a poet.

[@bpbsmith9786]

4:41 XD #Eminem Collab

[@Heavens-Kitchen-MMY]

Good luck...

[@brocknspectre1221]

I’m disappointed in myself that I’m having trouble understanding his accent

[@kingvinny6752]

Love this kid but here he looks AND is dressed like simple jack from tropic thunder..

[@brainumb6078]

He reminds me of a nerdy 🤓 shotty horror

[@logankemp8348]

cynthia cyn-thi-a jesus died for our cyn-thi-as jesus c r i e d runaway bride JULIA ROBERTS julia,,,,, rOb /hurts/

[@y.j.howler6168]

really ?

[@annaliesezarekhiabani2596]

you are cool are you available for adoption... everyone should be you or have a son like youi

[@ShadyAsh85]

He's always seemed really good on don't flop, kinda died on his arse here...

[@chickenninja3317]

+SHADYASH85 um hes not rapping

[@JungleJim737]

he look goofy asl

[@tamiahenry3514]

i speak english, but UK accents are still hard to understand 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@kalanmcevoy4228]

boy you be looking like a kid in a mans body

[@makagallinger]

Beck's would have dated you if you weren't wearing that outfit when you met her

[@jaywasd]

What? So...some girl invited him to pole dance? And then while he was there he felt uncomfortable? I just don't get the point of that...was it literally a poem for pole dancers who want to say no but can't? Seems...random >.

[@hyperactivegenie]

+Jay Bertetto It is random, but it's part of a collection of poems written while he was in college. It was probably the one he thought was about the most unusual experience and so used it.

[@sophia-sm2ne]

he's really random!

[@fangere]

What's wrong with random? I enjoyed it even if it doesn't have some deeper meaning about the inner workings of society. There's a place for that, and that's awesome, but this is too :)

[@xerospacious4024]

PLEASE EAT SOMETHING

[@Paylordd]

This is gay, listen to REAL rap instead

[@Hanessy]

Saurflax this isn't fake rap, it's just REAL poetry.

[@starylize]

It’s called slam poetry, look it up.

[@marcperez2598]

Rap is rhythm and poetry. So this is real rap.