08 October 2009

3 TEDTalks for National Poetry Day

Today is National Poetry Day in the UK, and why not everywhere? We found out about it in the stateless world of Twitter trending topics. If you're in the mood to celebrate, watch a few of these TEDTalks about, or featuring, poetry:

"War child" Emmanuel Jal tells the story of his amazing life in words and lyrics:

Helen Fisher studies the poetry of the brain in love:

And TED's house poet, Rives, does 9 minutes of lyrical origami around the wee small hour of the morning:

Find all dozen-and-a-half TEDTalks about poetry >>

Posted by Emily McManus | Permalink

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08 August 2007

Learning Africa's stories: Chris Abani on TED.com

Novelist and poet Chris Abani believes the heart of a place can be best understood through its poems and narratives. He talks about African and Nigerian stories -- including his own story of artistic and political awakening, which began with an inventive teacher who taught him the forbidden history of his own people. How, he asks, can we reconcile stories of terror and war and corruption with one's enduring sense of pure wonder? (Recorded June 2007 in Arusha, Tanzania. Duration: 17:49.)

Watch Chris Abani's talk on TED.com, where you can download it, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances.

Read more about Chris Abani on TED.com.

New: Download this talk in high resolution >>

Posted by TED Staff | Permalink

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