"What Was The This?" by Taylor Mali

[@PrettyBirdRio]

There is something so honest and simple when it comes to your poetry. It isn't the poetry we were forced to write or what we expect to sound like the perfect poem. I think it's magic, but we all know magic is fake anyway. I wish to one day make an impact on one person as you make on many of us, or to inspire through such simple beauty as you seem to have perfected. Thank you, Mr. Mali, you are a gift.

[@andrewevans6948]

Mr. Mali, I want to witness the magic that is you and those students in a classroom. Thank you for that bit of inspiration today. Sincerely, a future English "torturer"

[@dylannoonan9751]

I Love it! I beg you please; Never stop. You are a great inspiration to me and all that I show your work to. I feel that fire in me. The fire that only few listen to. To be in front of a class steering attention, and challenging those minds just as you or I do every day.

[@travisknowlton]

every time i hear this poem i get chills! it is emotionally fantastic poem!!

[@dianalynn1]

Everything, everything about this piece is perfect as it stands. The imperfect moments of pause to rephrase emphasize the ending. Taylor, you just engaged a conversation with my mind that suddenly reached out & grabbed hold of my heart. Brilliant.

[@jessikaferrer9521]

My Professor played one of your poems for my class yesterday, and I've watched almost all of your videos today, and I think you are absolutely fantastic.

[@pibblenibble]

You're right. That ending gave me chills.

[@ILikeBirds80]

That bought a wonderous smile to my face and then at the end a tear to the eye. Thank you.

[@planet.zar713]

Absolutely brilliant!

[@mooxim]

Gonna share this with my mum on Mother's Day if I remember.

[@1991samdixon]

Hey Taylor! You might not see this but I wanted to tell you how much I love your poetry! I start my first teaching job next year in country Australia :) I know on my first day I'll watch your videos for inspiration!

[@DanishRap4Ever91]

Shared on facebook ! :-) Great work Mr. Mali :-) High Fives from Denmark

[@kharygalt19]

This is wonderful. Thank you for sharing. :-)

[@Nick-up4mr]

Taylor, I would LOVE to be in your class. And you are an EXCELLENT poet

[@BretGammons]

Whether this poem works on paper likely depends upon your use of line breaks, punctuation, and other visual cues. The key-as I’m sure you know-is ensuring the word “Mama” creates the same lightbulb moment your reading of it does. P.S.: I shared this video with my mother on her birthday, and she was deeply moved by it. Keep on doing what you do.

[@elizag100]

thanks for posting that

[@jodee23231]

Perfect.

[@ulricrainard]

OK! Taylor Mali_ I have a new friend and it is you, because you have shown me something. I don't know what it is yet, but, I got it; watching you deliver your piece called _ 'The the Impotence of Proofreading' , at the Bowery Poetry...' something/something. It was great I laughed and subscribed and as accidents happen I realized you are doing something very different.That was clearly idiotic and goofy good, but this "What Was The This?" Your distance from the camera lense changes everything. An undiscovered country ... exploring impossibly personal public space with a one to one appeal. The nature of man/woman and all the rest that came after the chicken and the egg.The discovery of fire. It's as though you are reading inside the reader/listener, but I am viewing this of course and so it like reading and the pictures in one's head are real projected into reality. I have no idea what I have just written or if it is true, but there you go. Plenty of time to explore everything. I just retired 2 weeks ago today. I watched a movie this morning ... a deep introspective neurotic New York state of mind which celebrated the emptiness of meaning and sustenance over many glasses of wine. It's hard to famous in a world where everyone seemingly has the same dream.Clawing our way to the top. I'm just beginning.I'm paying myself now to have it all end up in the right way. God Bless. I thought I'd drop this on Google+. I'm going to remember to watch all of the rest of your videos onKZbin. I feel awake now, Thank You. April Fools!

[@roymartin5786]

I am a wind band teacher and my wife a theatre teacher. I not long ago made a decision that I would not prejudice my opinion of anyone in the Arts realm by investigating their political or religious views because it has, in the past, backfired on me. I don't know what your views are, and I'm glad, because I really respect your work. The fact that I have realized a conspicuous absence of your personal beliefs in your work I have heretofore experienced is refreshing. I have deep political and even deeper religious convictions, but when so many in the Arts cloud their creative works with an activist level of politics or religion, it saddens me. Thank you for your work being reflective, insightful, thought-provoking, and, above all, passionate.

[@kathc2001]

Mama. Yes, of course. I love your work. Is it poetry though? Or storytelling? Or some other type of brilliance - the word for which alludes me.

[@SageThePanda]

Is prose the word you are looking for? I'd still consider it poetry. Poetry is the most open ended type of writing. There's almost no rules.

[@Ruenne]

wow. that's good. I think it'd work on paper with sufficient build up! very doable (:

[@kathc2001]

The term Poetic Prose is a good fit for the style. For me, at least.

[@podcastbard]

Love the answer but I just keep thinking of I think the Monty Python line Dudu, Caca, sh** We can't say the last word here but I think it says more about our time and what we lost. 😎 💩 Nice poem.

[@SanChristoA]

Happy Mother's Day!

[@heavysystemsinc.]

Words are a technology. People continue to not use this technology to it's fullest potential.

[@KMMOS1]

An end for paper: Yes, thinking, silently, slowly sounding out the first mmmm, and the first aaah, then the next mmmm, and the next aaah, and we knew Catherine was right that mama is a memo to remember what was the this.

[@anananananannnananan]

KMMOS1 I think the point of this poem was to leave it just as he did. It doesn't need a conclusion; it is meant to leave you thinking, not secure the "right" answer.

[@simranm9483]

Can someone explain this to me?

[@taylormali2917]

Um, sure. I don't usually step into the lion's den like this, but I just happened to see this comment. I am the author of this poem. What would you like explained to you? And while you're at it, please tell me how old you are and how many times you've watched the poem from beginning to end. Thanks.

[@noamtashma2859]

At 1:00 Didn't you say at one of your poems that you stopped saying "umm"s and "aeh"s? You just did Oh well, everybody slips up sometimes

[@noamtashma2859]

Sorry, at 0:10, not 1:00

[@LadyeXo]

You look like Anthony Stewart Head

[@PetertheTemp]

Great use of silence. Come back to England please