It's TED Talks Daily. I'm Elise Hugh. The world is feeling especially impossible. And during times like this, I don't know about you, but a dose of art or poetry really helps. So today we're sharing an archive talk from TED 2019 from the poet Sarah Kay. It's a heart swelling introduction to her work.

Sarah is also the host of Ted's podcast Sincerely X, which features anonymous ideas.

Season two recently launched, so check it out everywhere you get your podcasts if you want to hear more from Sarah.

I have a friend named Kava Akbar, who's a fellow poet,

and Kava found this photo online of the anatomical heart of a blue whale

that scientists had hung on a hook from the ceiling,

which is how they were able to observe

that the heart of a blue whale

is big enough that a person can stand up fully inside of it.

And when Kava shared this photo online,

he did so with the caption,

this is another reminder

that the universe has already written the poem you were planning on writing.

And when I first saw that, I was horrified.

I was like, come on, man.

I'm trying to invent new metaphors.

I'm trying to discover beauty that hasn't been discovered yet.

What do you mean the universe is always going to get there

before me? And I know this isn't a uniquely poet problem, but on days when the world feels

especially big or especially impossible or especially full of grandeur, Those are the days when I feel,

what do I possibly have to contribute to all of this?

Not long ago, I saw this video that some of you may have seen.

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