"Labeling Keys," by TAYLOR MALI

Performed at the very first Page Meets Stage pairing at the Bowery Poetry Club on November 12, 2005, which featured me (Taylor Mali) and my mentor Billy Collins. I remember that this day started for me in Copenhagen, Denmark, at the end of a two-week long tour of international schools where I'd been teaching. After a frantic day of travel-thank goodness the time change worked to my advantage-the day finished sharing the stage with Billy Collins in front of a sold out crowd at the Bowery Poetry Club. As the evening progressed, you can see Billy begin to relax and enjoy himself more, chuckling in places during my poems. Special thanks to Chad Anderson for filming and editing the night.

[@briecheezit]

Billy Collins!!!
Is anyone else obsessed with that man's work?
No one but Taylor Mali could stand as well with Billy Collins on the stage. What a boss.

[@joedonelson5901]

I'd say Sarah Kaye and Phil Kay too

[@Scimitars-in-sandstone]

Absolutely love Billy Collins. Crazily enough I had an English teacher for 1 term of 1 year in highschool, who had met both of them on separate occasions. Taylor Mali he had invited to the school to recite some of his poems (this was before I went there) and billy Collins he’d received a poem from before it was published (idk which one). My poetry loving mind was blown out of the water. 😂

[@monkeybars101]

5 Star love it.
Came back to watch your vids again.
And it was only yesterday I watched them..

[@Thundergod_au]

I have a collection of orphaned keys.
I loved this video.

[@Leron...]

I've watched/heard this a dozen times and only now do I realize he meant *SAAB* in the garage and not *sob* in the garage... that makes WAAAAY more sense.

[@ObiWanShinobi1]

He even makes the phrase "keys to unknown places" sound like hope and adventure. "secret passage to Mt. Olympus, Wardrobe to Sarnia, Ont."

[@fanpire102]

Thank you Mr.Mali! you are an amazing writer and your work inspired my 8th grade teacher last year, who unfortunately was laid off,and my self. I love watching your videos:) thank you

[@shibihuntress]

That was amazing, and extremely cathartic. What a magical experience.

[@Super.Whimsy]

You are my hero! Thank you, thank you, thank you...

[@btraylor1]

This reminds me of how my nerdy husband and I labeled our most valuables when we moved so that the movers couldn't pick an interesting box and make off with it. We wrote things like "refractive light-encoded media" on our box full of CD's and so on. What lovely memories!

[@lali2591]

this reminds me of my father,. he has OCD.. and all these weird habits.. wich i love and try to copy but never could do it just exactly right. im so going to recite this to him..

[@pmcrimson]

Beautiful. I love it.

[@mwesterholm]

Fantastic. Thank you.

[@warriorscholar]

That was amazing, truly stunning.

[@bummercucumber]

This is great.

[@sunriseellison]

snugness and symmetry

[@LeSimpleton]

smiling at "little metal orphans"

[@nevinackered]

What a clever idea.

[@ALEXXX518]

You can get it in the book "The Spoken Word Revolution Redux" at any barnes and noble or borders and or amazon.

[@chapstick00]

That's cute. Made me smile =]

[@MikeTysonTheCat]

@wordman very good. very funny. thanx!

[@ethansmith9065]

Wonder what kind of car Potemkin was?

[@lightsonme21]

i enjoy you>>>>i really do

[@fomoerotic]

Inspired. I wish what you had was a disease, that I might catch it like an infection and speed it to those with which I come into contact.

[@malneir]

i think i know where bo burnham got his main influence from

[@theeverydayguys]

now I know what teachers do when they get fired