Rives Def Jam

[@weirdhybrid]

I have probably watched this 20 times over the last few years and I weep every time.

[@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

[@Ic3man995]

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

[@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.

[@goshenqueen]

it's so NICE to see something about deafness so mainstreamed like this. i'm studying to be an interpreter and i'm thankful for people like him.

[@LucidDream]

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

[@lovemusiq57]

This is one of best poems I have heard yet. All other poets... Step up your game!

[@mediocrerainbow]

i'm in love with the ending. its so true that even if you dont have an audible voice, you still are able to express things through your "voice"

[@LucidDream]

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

[@louderheart]

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

[@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.

[@millie123tck]

That was my favorite poem. I love the end. Its very original. Oh man the ending moved me.

[@Careelo]

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

[@Atiyana11]

absoluetly amazing. i love this guy. deffinitly my favorite.

[@moali505]

i love the part where he compares the poems of the deaf kids to the jokes of the comics'... like how some ignore the differences, mention, or only talk about them. Beautiful oh and "can you hear me now" is funny as hell!!!

[@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.

[@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!!!

[@Starsacharm]

That was...just sick. Amazing. Stunning. Loved it.

[@GarrettBroadnax]

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

[@LucidDream]

This is so great. What a wonderful person.

[@siiiiiuu7]

rives is incredible. gives me chills:)

[@kupellupy]

i literally tear at this. Deep poetry.

[@malampetang]

hollyyyyyy shhhiiiii!!! woooww . speechless

[@vixtopher]

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

[@NappyOclock92]

i loved it through and through!!!

[@Picassia]

This is incredible. So genius, so passionate...

[@bxox]

MAN ID LOVE TO GO TO ONE OF HIS SHOWS!

[@Cyf1]

words like goosebumps ,daydreams, giraffes...sticky icki icki. love this nigga man!

[@Yesnog05]

"Homework...is bullshit...and inspires out of me nothing but...vomit..." LOL GENIUS!!

[@talkindurinthemovie]

I forgot how beautiful this poem was

[@fallingfaster010]

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

[@HaysoosCryst]

that was a pure work of genuis!!

[@RionSpears]

i had to clap sitting at home watching this...i was amazed

[@GiraudLily]

Awesome Rives, Awesome needed message.

[@MogaliMasuku]

I love this poem, love it.

[@sdzonee]

Talant. I have goose-bumps.

[@Mrliston]

That is very touchin!!! Hott Fire

[@Zeffer32]

Still gives me chills

[@sydney72240]

How could somebody NOT like this poem though?

[@joshlee1090]

Dude got me too! Very moving stuff.

[@MaximilienRoburpierr]

that was really really really outstanding

[@wadu18]

oh shet brought tears to my eyes as well, not ashamed to admit it aswell.

[@BeerGogglesReviews]

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

[@Godsend77]

This was good. Have to follow the content.

[@ishnookie]

such conviction on his passion makes me respect him

[@Carnivorus666]

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

[@swish15508]

wow...a lot of people making comments on stuff they know nothing about. yes, that's the sign for bullshit. no, all sign language is NOT universal. Every country has it's own. Learn up. But you all are right...this man is amazing.

[@LostSoundWaves]

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

[@chdwckvnstrsslhm]

I LOVE def poetry!

[@danifilth28379]

That last part really touched me i mean really did

[@teelityshia]

rives ans shihan are my favourite poets.

[@msjbg884]

Simply Amazing

[@WolfDarrigan]

*signs "beautiful starfish"* and yes, I actually know how to sign both of those words.... My friend's sister was born with down syndrome, so there was a chance that she would be unable to speak, so we all learned sign language, I suggest that all people learn it... makes talking through glass so much easier. Now that I have ranted... Great performance, can't wait to see more!

[@IJustWantRevenge]

the ending did it for me amazzing

[@MusicISlove9224]

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

[@Littabet]

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

[@leobermi]

beautiful and funny. Brilliant.

[@b28e]

Wheeeeew. The end was amazing. And so true.

[@stevenharpervw]

i learned some ISL -irish sign language .. its realy cool.. so now i can be walking down town with some of my friends.. and went i see sally i can say hello to her,, and tell her the person next to me is REALLY boaring.. do you want to go make out?! lol!!!

[@xxAnpublackops004xx]

this is so good man

[@Tru_lie13]

The last line got me. in a good way.

[@Anie1987]

wow... he is an inspiration...

[@reginaldfairfield]

"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." PERFECT ENDING

[@kloughran]

gorgeous.

[@JasonKirin]

I'm floored. Now, I'm a Teaching/Counseling Aid at a local deaf school. And I'm a poet. This - this is just amazing. I'm floored - I'm sharing this at school. Is there a way to get an MPEG or AVI of this so that I can download it and subtitle it for my kids?

[@ProphNasty]

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

[@laser8389]

Wow, this is amazing!

[@ccbaby2897]

THAT WAS FREAKIN AMAZING!

[@amora433]

this is awesome =D -Anthony Moran

[@gimmedap]

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

[@VanessaGalvanprincess--nessa]

i really wish someone would take this video and add captions. it would be nice to share with my deaf teacher...

[@badash13]

that was amazing

[@dozer1189]

Amazing...absolutely

[@TheLegendofGiizmo]

I'm seriously feelin this

[@Aadonis219]

Raw shit. Loved it

[@e198811]

i loved it, i kinda teared up lol

[@Bak3dB3an]

c'est fantastique

[@HayJude]

that was awesome

[@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

[@thelovelysilverfisch]

There are subtitles! At the bottom right of the screen were it says "CC," you can select subtitles. :)

[@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!

[@WiseDraco]

Freakin brilliant.

[@MsGigi86]

That is powerful.

[@KenyanMangroveWaigi]

even if he doesnt know how to sign, its still just as meaningful to me

[@brightmind_rights2know]

The greatest fucking poem that I ever heard

[@JamzMaumau]

Love love love

[@danielle.rebelle]

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. :)

[@VGamesROCK]

Genius very nice poem

[@Moonprysm]

would be great if this were subtitled for our Deaf friends

[@happygolucky654]

Yo that was some shit. Like i love def jam poetry and i have never seen or heard any thing like that. That was fucking incredible.

[@maggierocks]

this guy is the man

[@alessandrialee]

that was a treat !

[@psycokrusher]

omg he's crazy! he called out so many ppl I love him! i fav like all of his vids.Omg the subject matter is crazy!

[@KAP_]

wow! so amazin

[@WyKeDnCaLi]

AWESOME!!!!!

[@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? :)

[@melloman134]

there's a plugin called DownloadHelper for firefox that can rip vids off youtube, they're all in flash video (.flv) format but there's a player for them.

[@lv1023]

Cool I can now say "Bullshit" in sign language. Rives Rocks!!

[@felinepm]

Beautiful and funny

[@luckstruck]

I liked it