Grand Slam Poetry Champion | Harry Baker | TEDxExeter

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. From primes to proper pop-up purple paper people, Harry Baker performs his a pun-tastic and poignant poetry.

Harry Baker 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. After two 5-star Edinburgh Fringe festival shows and almost growing a beard once, the next adventure is having his first book released in April this year.

At TEDxExeter 2014 our speakers and performers connected us with other worlds. Our talks exposed corruption in big business, shared effective approaches to tackling social inequality and gave a voice to those whose human rights are under threat. We explored the impact of fast changing technologies on all our lives. We journeyed through fire and forest to frozen landscapes. We were challenged to consider worlds of extremes, cutting edge controversies and risky opportunities.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[NZLtom]

He performed at my school today, went into English next period, to have him teach us about writing poetry.
He ended the lesson with a freestyle using words that the class had given him. Extremely talented guy.

[DucksRock]

59 wakes up on the wrong side of the bed.
Realizes all his hair is on one side of his head.
Takes just under a minute to work out that it’s because of the way that he slept.
He finds some clothes and gets dressed.
He can’t help but look in the mirror and be subtly impressed
How he looks rough around the edges and yet casually messed.
And as he glances out the window, he sees the sight that he gets blessed with of 60 from across the street.
Now 60 was beautiful,
With perfectly trimmed cuticles, dressed in something suitable,
And never rude or crude at all.
Unimprovable, right on time as usual, more on cue than a snooker ball but liked to play it super cool.
59 wanted to tell her that he knew her favorite flower.
He thought of her every second, every minute, every hour.
But he knew it wouldn’t work, he’d never get the girl.
Because although she lived across the street they came from different worlds.
While 59 admired 60’s perfectly round figure, 60 thought 59 was odd.
You see, one of his favorite films was "101 Dalmatians."
She preferred the sequel.
He romanticized the idea they were star-crossed lovers.
They could overcome the odds and evens because they had each other,
While she maintained the strict views imposed on her by her mother
That separate could not be equal.
And though at the time he felt stupid and dumb
For trying to love a girl controlled by her stupid mum,
He should have been comforted by the simple sum.
Take 59 away from 60, and you’re left with the one.
Sure enough after two months of moping around,
61 days later, 61 was who he found,
He had lost his keys and his parents were out.
So one day after school he went into a house
And as he noticed the slightly wonky numbers on the door,
He wondered why he’d never introduced himself before,
As she let him in, his jaw dropped in awe.
61 was like 60, but a little bit more.
See she had prettier eyes, and an approachable smile,
And like him, rough around the edges, casual style,
And like him, everything was in disorganized piles,
And like him, her mum didn’t mind if friends stayed a while.
Because she was like him, and he liked her.
He reckoned she would like him if she knew he was like her,
And it was different this time. I mean, this girl was wicked,
So he plucked up the courage and asked for her digits.
She said, "I'm 61."
He grinned, said, "I'm 59. Today I’ve had a really nice time,
So tomorrow if you wanted you could come over to mine?"
She said, "Sure."
She loved talking to someone just as quirky,
So she agreed to this unofficial first date.
In the end he was only ready one minute early,
But that didn’t matter because she arrived one minute late.
And from that moment on there was nonstop chatter,
How they loved "X Factor, " how they had two factors,
How that did not matter.
Distinctiveness made them better,
By the end of the night they knew they were meant together.
And one day she was talking about stuck-up 60,
She noticed that 59 looked a bit shifty.
He blushed and told her of his crush:
“The best thing that never happened because it led to us.”
61 was clever, see, not prone to jealousy,
She looked him in the eyes and told him quite tenderly,
"You’re 59, I’m 61, together we combine to become twice what 60 could ever be."
And at this point 59 had tears in his eyes,
Was so glad to have this one-of-a-kind girl in his life.
He told her the very definition of being prime
Was that with only one and himself could his heart divide,
And she was the one he wanted to give his heart to,
She said she felt the same and now she knew the films were half true,
Because that wasn't real love, that love was just a sample,
When it came to real love, they were a prime example.

[Imfromjamaicaman]

The first poem is not only clever but has a sweet story in it.. This guy is awesome!

[krishguptx]

he went from a comedian to a mathematician to a rapper to a psychologist all in 10 minutes

[rctd]

competed against this guy in the UK unislam event earlier this year. he was brilliant, i remember i lost all shits when he performed 'paper people' lol. really talented dude.

[Tullece]

"All the darkness in the world cannot put out the light from a single candle... so how the hell could they put out your light".

Powerful line there, probably my favourite.

[ilovepiedoyou]

all the math puns in the first poem made my little nerdy heart smile

[alexanderlopez-guevara]

"Told him he was too bright, That's why they never looked him in the eyes"THE FEELS

[KatrinaShrumhello]

I seriously think these are the best poems ever!!!!
The first one got your attention
The second made you think,
The last made you feel

[h.kathryn]

I watch this over and over and over again I still cannot believe how amazing Harry Baker is

[contractlifting]

Paper people is a masterpiece. It's so intricately basic it's no wonder it could be considered the best poem in the world. How the hell did he put that together to make me think - wow! I mean it's not difficult to understand the content as its incredibly basic subject matter. Harry has a gift and I'm really glad he shares it

[NewPink]

I always thought Harry Baker was a gift to poetry and then battle rap but over time I've come to realize he's a gift to the world.

[FamilyGamerTV]

What a perfect combination of humour, poetry and maths. Bravo bravo!

[j.m.silva__]

''... They were a prime example.'' Mind-blowing!

[keananparker]

0:42 prime poem "59"
6:05 "paper people"
10:04 "sunshine kid"

[mikey_fixed]

On paper it's hard to see how we all cope, but in the bottom of Pandora's box.. There's still hope.

Fucking deep.

[Iwtbaf]

"best poem in the world" lol fucking genius boss would say that.. got me standing up clapping in my own room lololol.

[sugan]

I clapped alone during night, laughed, teared up a little all within fourteen minutes, wow. And have somehow been caught with a little spark of hope, and a gentle touch to my heart. I am glad I found this tonight.

[ashybaedaqueen]

paper people

I like people.
I'd like some paper people.
They’d be purple paper people. Maybe pop-up purple paper people.
Proper pop-up purple paper people.
"How do you prop up pop-up purple paper people?"
I hear you cry. Well I ...
I’d probably prop up proper pop-up purple paper people
with a proper pop-up purple people paperclip,
but I’d pre-prepare appropriate adhesives as alternatives,
a cheeky pack of Blu Tack just in case the paper slipped.
Because I could build a pop-up metropolis.
but I wouldn’t wanna deal with all the paper people politics.
paper politicians with their paper-thin policies,
broken promises without appropriate apologies.
There’d be a little paper me. And a little paper you.
And we could watch paper TV and it would all be pay-per-view.
We’d see the poppy paper rappers rap about their paper package
or watch paper people carriers get stuck in paper traffic on the A4. Paper.
There’d be a paper princess Kate but we’d all stare at paper Pippa,
and then we’d all live in fear of killer Jack the Paper-Ripper,
because the paper propaganda propagates the people's prejudices,
papers printing pictures of the photogenic terrorists.
A little paper me. And a little paper you.
And in a pop-up population people’s problems pop up too.
There’d be a pompous paper parliament who remained out of touch,
and who ignored the people's protests about all the paper cuts,
then the peaceful paper protests would get blown to paper pieces,
by the confetti cannons manned by pre-emptive police.
And yes there’d still be paper money, so there’d still be paper greed,
and the paper piggy bankers pocketing more than they need,
purchasing the potpourri to pepper their paper properties,
others live in poverty and ain’t acknowledged properly.
A proper poor economy where so many are proper poor,
but while their needs are ignored the money goes to big wars.
Origami armies unfold plans for paper planes
and we remain imprisoned in our own paper chains,
but the greater shame is that it always seems to stay the same,
what changes is who’s in power choosing how to lay the blame,
they’re naming names, forgetting these are names of people,
because in the end it all comes down to people.
I like people.
'Cause even when the situation’s dire,
it is only ever people who are able to inspire,
and on paper, it’s hard to see how we all cope.
But in the bottom of Pandora’s box there’s still hope,
and I still hope 'cause I believe in people.
People like my grandparents.
Who every single day since I was born, have taken time out of their morning to pray for me.
That’s 7892 days straight of someone checking I’m okay, and that’s amazing.
People like my aunt who puts on plays with prisoners.
People who are capable of genuine forgiveness.
People like the persecuted Palestinians.
People who go out of their way to make your life better, and expect nothing in return.
You see, people have potential to be powerful.
Just because the people in power tend to pretend to be victims
we don’t need to succumb to that system.
And a paper population is no different.
There’s a little paper me. And a little paper you.
And in a pop-up population people's problems pop up too,
but even if the whole world fell apart then we’d still make it through.
Because we’re people.

[saltyorobsessed]

"And if the world fell apart we'd still all make it through because we're people."