ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Rives - Performance poet, multimedia artist
Performance artist and storyteller Rives has been called "the first 2.0 poet," using images, video and technology to bring his words to life.

Why you should listen

Part poet, part storyteller, part philosopher, Rives is the co-host of TEDActive as well as a frequent TED speaker. On stage, his poems burst in many directions, exposing multiple layers and unexpected treats: childhood memories, grown-up humor, notions of love and lust, of what is lost forever and of what's still out there waiting to unfold. Chimborazo.

A regular on HBO's Def Poetry Jam, Rives also starred alongside model Bar Refaeli in the 2008 Bravo special Ironic Iconic America, touring the United States on a "roller coaster ride through the eye-popping panorama of American pop culture." Flat pages can't contain his storytelling, even when paper is his medium. The pop-up books he creates for children unfold with surprise: The Christmas Pop-Up Present expands to reveal moving parts, hidden areas and miniature booklets inside. 

His latest project—the Museum of Four in the Morning—is an ode to a time that may well be part of a global conspiracy. In a good way.  

More profile about the speaker
Rives | Speaker | TED.com
TED2008

Rives: A story of mixed emoticons

Rives se gemengde emosiekone storie

Filmed:
1,901,865 views

Rives - ster van die Bravo-reeks "Ironic Iconic America" - vertel 'n kort bittersoet tipografiese sprokiesverhaal.
- Performance poet, multimedia artist
Performance artist and storyteller Rives has been called "the first 2.0 poet," using images, video and technology to bring his words to life. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:21
This meansbeteken, "I'm smilingglimlag."
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Hierdie beteken ek glimlag.
00:24
So does that.
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Hierdie ook.
00:27
This meansbeteken "mousemuis."
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Hierdie beteken muis.
00:29
"CatKat."
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Kat.
00:32
Here we have a storystorie.
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Hier het ons 'n storie.
00:34
The startbegin of the storystorie, where this meansbeteken guy,
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Die begin van die storie, met hierdie 'n man,
00:37
and that is a ponytailkolf kaktus on a passer-byverbyganger.
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en dit, 'n poniestert in die verbygang.
00:44
Here'sHier is where it happensgebeur.
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Hier is waar dit gebeur,
00:47
These are when.
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en wanneer.
00:49
This is a cassettekasset tapeband the girlmeisie putswan into her cassette-tapekasset-band playerspeler.
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'n Kasset, wat die dame in haar kassetspeler sit.
00:52
She wearsdra it everyelke day.
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Sy dra dit elke dag.
00:54
It's not consideredbeskou vintagevintage --
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Dis nou nie juis klassiek nie -
00:55
she just likesHou certainsekere musicmusiek to soundklink a certainsekere way.
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sy hou van musiek met 'n sekere klank aanslag.
00:57
Look at her posturepostuur; it's remarkablemerkwaardige.
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Kyk na haar postuur, dis merkwaardig.
00:59
That's because she dancesdances.
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Dis omdat sy dans.
01:01
Now he, the guy, takes all of this in, figuringbesyfering,
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Hy, neem alles in, en dink...
01:03
"HonestlyEerlik, geezGoeiste, what are my chanceskanse?"
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"Sjoe, rerig, wat is my kans?"
01:07
(LaughterLag)
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(gehoor lag)
01:08
And he could say, "Oh my God!"
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En hy kan sê: "O, my Genade!"
01:11
or "I hearthart you!"
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of "Ek lief jou!"
01:13
"I'm laughinglag out loudhard."
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Ek lag ongeskik luid.
01:15
"I want to give you a hugdrukkie."
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Ek wil jou 'n drukkie gee.
01:17
But he comeskom up with that, you know.
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Hy kom egter op met... jy weet...
01:19
He tellsvertel her, "I'd like to hand-painthand-verf your portraitportret on a coffeekoffie mugbeker."
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Hy sê vir haar: "Ek wil jou portret op 'n koffeebeker verf..."
01:23
(LaughterLag)
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(gehoor lag)
01:25
Put a crabkrap insidebinne it.
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'n Krap binne-in sit...
01:27
AddVoeg by some waterwater.
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Water byvoeg...
01:29
SevenSewe differentverskillende saltssoute.
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Sewe soorte sout.
01:31
He meansbeteken he's got this suddenskielike notionidee to standstaan on drydroë landland,
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Hy bedoel hy't skielik die behoefte om op droë land te staan,
01:34
but just panhandlepanhandle at the oceanoseaan.
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maar steeds te hengel in die see.
01:36
He says, "You look like a mermaidmeermin, but you walkloop like a waltzwaltz."
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Hy sê: "Jy lyk soos 'n meermin maar stap soos 'n wals."
01:42
And the girlmeisie goesgaan, "Wha'Wha'?"
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En sy sê: "Wat?"
01:47
So, the guy repliesantwoorde, "Yeah, I know, I know.
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So hy antwoord: "Ja, ek weet, ek weet.
01:49
I think my heartbeathartklop mightmag be the MorseMorse codekode for inappropriateonvanpas.
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Ek dink my hartklop mag Morse-kode wees vir 'onvanpas'.
01:52
At leastminste, that's how it seemsblyk.
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Dis tenminste hoe dit lyk.
01:54
I'm like a juniorJunior varsitysou cheerleadercheerleader sometimessoms --
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Soms is ek soos 'n rasieleier op skool -
01:58
for swearingvloek, awkwardongemaklike silencessilences, and very simpleeenvoudige rhymerympie schemesskemas.
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vir vloek, ongemaklike stiltes en eenvoudige paarrym.
02:03
Right now, talkingpraat to you, I'm not even really a guy.
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Reg nou, terwyl ek met jou praat, is ek nie 'n ou nie maar 'n sot.
02:08
I'm a monkeyaap --
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Ek's 'n aap,
02:10
(LaughterLag) --
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(gehoor lag)
02:11
blowingwaai kissessoentjies
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wat soene blaas
02:13
at a butterflyskoenlapper.
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na 'n vlindermot.
02:15
But I'm still suggestingwat daarop dui you and I should meetOntmoet.
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Ek stel steeds voor dat ons ontmoet.
02:18
First, soonbinnekort, and then a lot.
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Eers, gou en dan sommer baie.
02:23
I'm thinkingdink the southwestsuidwes cornerhoek of 5thste and 42ndnd at noonmiddag tomorrowmôre,
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Ek dink Suid-westelike hoek van 5de & 42ste mid dag more,
02:27
but I'll staybly untiltotdat you showWys up, ponytailkolf kaktus or not.
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maar ek sal wag tot jy opdaag, poniestert of geen...
02:31
HellHel, ponytailkolf kaktus alonealleen.
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Gits, poniestert alleen.
02:33
I don't know what elseanders to tell you.
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Ek weet nie wat nog om vir jou te sê nie.
02:35
I got a pencilpotlood you can borrowleen.
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Jy kan my potlood leen.
02:37
You can put it in your phonefoon."
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Jy kan dit op jou foon spaar."
02:40
But the girlmeisie does not budgebudge, does not smileglimlag, does not frownafkeur.
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Maar die meisie reageer nie, glimlag of frons nie.
02:48
She just says, "No thank you."
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Sy sê net: "Nee dankie..."
02:52
You know?
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Jy weet?
02:56
[ "i don't need 2 writeskryf it down." ]
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... ek hoef dit nie neer te skryf nie! (toejuiging)
03:02
(ApplauseApplous)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Rives - Performance poet, multimedia artist
Performance artist and storyteller Rives has been called "the first 2.0 poet," using images, video and technology to bring his words to life.

Why you should listen

Part poet, part storyteller, part philosopher, Rives is the co-host of TEDActive as well as a frequent TED speaker. On stage, his poems burst in many directions, exposing multiple layers and unexpected treats: childhood memories, grown-up humor, notions of love and lust, of what is lost forever and of what's still out there waiting to unfold. Chimborazo.

A regular on HBO's Def Poetry Jam, Rives also starred alongside model Bar Refaeli in the 2008 Bravo special Ironic Iconic America, touring the United States on a "roller coaster ride through the eye-popping panorama of American pop culture." Flat pages can't contain his storytelling, even when paper is his medium. The pop-up books he creates for children unfold with surprise: The Christmas Pop-Up Present expands to reveal moving parts, hidden areas and miniature booklets inside. 

His latest project—the Museum of Four in the Morning—is an ode to a time that may well be part of a global conspiracy. In a good way.  

More profile about the speaker
Rives | Speaker | TED.com