ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Billy Collins - Poet
A two-term U.S. Poet Laureate, Billy Collins captures readers with his understated wit, profound insight -- and a sense of being "hospitable."

Why you should listen

Accessibility is not a word often associated with great poetry. Yet Billy Collins has managed to create a legacy from what he calls being poetically “hospitable.” Preferring lyrical simplicity to abstruse intellectualism, Collins combines humility and depth of perception, undercutting light and digestible topics with dark and at times biting humor.

While Collins approaches his work with a healthy sense of self-deprecation, calling his poems “domestic” and “middle class,” John Taylor has said of Collins: “Rarely has anyone written poems that appear so transparent on the surface yet become so ambiguous, thought-provoking, or simply wise once the reader has peered into the depths.”

In 2001 he was named U.S. Poet Laureate, a title he kept until 2003. Collins lives in Somers, New York, and is an English professor at City University of New York, where he has taught for more than 40 years.

Credits for the animations in this talk:

"Budapest," "Forgetfulness" and "Some Days" -- animation by Julian Grey/Head Gear

"The Country" -- animation by Brady Baltezor/Radium

"The Dead" -- animation by Juan Delcan/Spontaneous
 

More profile about the speaker
Billy Collins | Speaker | TED.com
TED2012

Billy Collins: Everyday moments, caught in time

Billy Collins: Svakodnevni trenuci, zaustavljeni u vremenu

Filmed:
1,325,026 views

Kombinirajući trezvenost s umjetničkom dubinom, Billy Collins predstavlja projekt u sklopu kojeg je nekoliko njegovih pjesama pretvoreno u dražesne animirane filmove u suradnji s televizijskim kanalom Sundance Channel. Pet takvih filmova uključeno je u ovaj zabavan i dirljiv govor. Nemojte propustiti ni urnebesnu pjesmu na kraju!
- Poet
A two-term U.S. Poet Laureate, Billy Collins captures readers with his understated wit, profound insight -- and a sense of being "hospitable." Full bio

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

00:15
I'm here to give you
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Došao sam vam dati
00:17
your recommendedpreporučuje se dietaryprehrambene allowancedžeparac
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preporučenu dnevnu dozu
00:19
of poetrypoezija.
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poezije.
00:21
And the way I'm going to do that
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To ću učiniti tako
00:23
is presentpredstaviti to you
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da vam predstavim
00:25
fivepet animationsanimacije
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pet animacija
00:27
of fivepet of my poemspjesme.
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za pet mojih pjesama.
00:29
And let me just tell you a little bitbit of how that camedošao about.
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Ukratko ću vam ispričati kako je došlo do toga.
00:31
Because the mixingmiješanje of those two mediamedia
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Jer miješanje tih dvaju medija
00:33
is a sortvrsta of unnaturalneprirodan or unnecessarynepotreban actčin.
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nekako je neprirodno i nepotrebno.
00:36
But when I was UnitedUjedinjeni StatesDržava PoetPjesnik LaureateLaureat --
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Kad sam bio pjesnički laureat SAD-a --
00:40
and I love sayingizreka that.
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obožavam to izgovarati.
00:42
(LaughterSmijeh)
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(Smijeh)
00:44
It's a great way to startpočetak sentencesrečenice.
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To je odličan način započinjanja rečenica.
00:47
When I was him back then,
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Kad sam tada to bio,
00:50
I was approachedprilazi by J. WalterWalter ThompsonThompson, the adoglas companydruštvo,
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kontaktirala me tvrtka za oglašavanje
J. Walter Thompson.
00:53
and they were hiredzaposlen
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Radili su, recimo
00:55
sortvrsta of by the SundanceSundance ChannelKanal.
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za televizijski program Sundance Channel.
00:57
And the ideaideja was to have me recordsnimiti some of my poemspjesme
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Ideja je bila da ja snimim neke svoje pjesme,
00:59
and then they would find animatorsanimatora
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a oni će pronaći animatore
01:01
to animateanimirati them.
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da ih animiraju.
01:03
And I was initiallyu početku resistantotporan,
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Isprva sam se opirao
01:05
because I always think
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jer uvijek mislim
01:07
poetrypoezija can standstajati alonesam by itselfsebe.
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da je poezija samodostatna.
01:09
AttemptsPokušaji to put my poemspjesme to musicglazba
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Pokušaji uglazbljivanja mojih pjesama
01:12
have had disastrouskatastrofalne resultsrezultati,
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imali su katastrofalne rezultate,
01:14
in all casesslučajevi.
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svaki put.
01:17
And the poempjesma, if it's writtennapisan with the earuho,
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A pjesma, ako je pisana sa sluhom,
01:20
alreadyveć has been setset to its ownvlastiti verbalglagolski musicglazba
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već je dobila svoju verbalnu glazbu
01:23
as it was composedsastavljen.
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dok je sastavljana.
01:25
And surelysigurno, if you're readingčitanje a poempjesma
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Ako čitate pjesmu
01:27
that mentionsspominje a cowkrava,
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u kojoj se spominje krava,
01:29
you don't need on the facingokrenut pagestranica
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sigurno na suprotnoj stranici
01:31
a drawingcrtanje of a cowkrava.
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ne trebate crtež krave.
01:33
I mean, let's let the readerčitač do a little work.
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Mislim, neka se i čitatelj malo potrudi.
01:36
But I relentedpopustio because it seemedčinilo se like an interestingzanimljiv possibilitymogućnost,
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No, popustio sam jer se činilo
kao zanimljiva mogućnost,
01:39
and alsotakođer I'm like a totalukupno cartooncrtani film junkienarkoman
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a i pravi sam ovisnik o crtićima
01:42
sinceod childhooddjetinjstvo.
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od djetinjstva.
01:45
I think more influentialutjecajni
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Mislim da su više utjecaja
01:47
than EmilyEmily DickinsonDickinson or ColeridgeColeridge or WordsworthWordsworth
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nego Emily Dickinson ili Coleridge ili Wordsworth
01:50
on my imaginationmašta
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na moju maštu imali
01:52
were WarnerWarner BrothersBraća, MerrieMERRIE MelodiesMelodije
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Warner Brothers, Merrie Melodies,
01:54
and LoonyLuđak TunesMelodija cartoonscrtani filmovi.
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i crtani filmovi Loony Tunes.
01:57
BugsGreške u programu BunnyZeko is my musemuza.
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Zekoslav Mrkva moja je muza.
02:01
And this way poetrypoezija could find its way ontona televisiontelevizija of all placesmjesta.
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Na taj je način poezija mogla
dospjeti čak na televiziju.
02:05
And I'm prettyprilično much all for poetrypoezija in publicjavnost placesmjesta --
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A ja potpuno podržavam poeziju na javnim mjestima --
02:08
poetrypoezija on busesautobusi, poetrypoezija on subwaysPodzemna,
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poezija u busevima, poezija u podzemnoj,
02:11
on billboardsplakati, on cerealžitarica boxeskutije.
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na plakatima, na kutijama žitarica.
02:15
When I was PoetPjesnik LaureateLaureat, there I go again --
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Kad sam bio pjesnički laureat -- evo ga opet --
02:19
I can't help it, it's truepravi --
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ne mogu si pomoći, istina je --
02:22
(LaughterSmijeh)
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(Smijeh)
02:25
I createdstvorio a poetrypoezija channelkanal on DeltaDelta AirlinesZrakoplovne kompanije
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Napravio sam pjesnički kanal za Delta Airlines
02:28
that lastedTrajalo je for a couplepar of yearsgodina.
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koji je bio aktivan nekoliko godina.
02:30
So you could tunePodešavanje into poetrypoezija as you were flyingleteći.
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Mogli ste slušati poeziju dok ste letjeli.
02:33
And my senseosjećaj is,
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Ja smatram
02:35
it's a good thing to get poetrypoezija off the shelvespolice
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da je dobro da se poezija skine s polica
02:38
and more into publicjavnost life.
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i više unese u javni život.
02:40
StartPočetak a meetingsastanak with a poempjesma. That would be an ideaideja you mightmoć take with you.
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Počnite sastanak pjesmom. To biste mogli upamtiti.
02:43
When you get a poempjesma on a billboardpano or on the radioradio
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Kad stavite pjesmu na reklamni plakat
ili je pustite na radiju
02:46
or on a cerealžitarica boxkutija or whateveršto god,
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ili je stavite na kutiju žitarica ili kamo već,
02:48
it happensdogađa se to you so suddenlyiznenada
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ona vam dođe tako iznenada
02:50
that you don't have time
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da ne stignete
02:52
to deployuvođenje your anti-poetryanti-poezija deflectordeflektor shieldsŠtitovi
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aktivirati svoje štitove protiv poezije
02:56
that were installedinstaliran in highvisok schoolškola.
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koje ste ugradili još u srednjoj školi.
03:01
So let us startpočetak with the first one.
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Počnimo s prvom pjesmom.
03:04
It's a little poempjesma calledzvao "BudapestBudimpešta,"
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To je kratka pjesma, a zove se "Budimpešta".
03:07
and in it I revealotkriti,
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U njoj otkrivam,
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or pretendpretvarati se to revealotkriti,
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ili nastojim otkriti,
03:11
the secretstajne of the creativekreativan processpostupak.
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tajne kreativnog procesa.
03:16
(VideoVideo) NarrationPripovijedanje: "BudapestBudimpešta."
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(Video) Naracija: "Budimpešta"
03:18
My penpero movespotezi alonguz the pagestranica
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Moje se pero kreće stranicom
03:21
like the snoutgubica of a strangečudan animalživotinja
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poput njuške neobične životinje
03:24
shapedoblika like a humanljudski armruka
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u obliku ljudske ruke
03:26
and dressedobučen in the sleeverukav
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obučene u rukav
03:28
of a looselabav greenzelena sweaterdžemper.
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širokog zelenog džempera.
03:30
I watch it sniffingnjuškanje the paperpapir ceaselesslyneprestano,
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Gledam kako uporno njuška papir
03:33
intentnamjera as any foragerforager
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kao i bilo koji sakupljač
03:36
that has nothing on its mindum
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kojemu su na umu
03:38
but the grubsličinki and insectsinsekata
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samo ličinke i kukci
03:41
that will allowdopustiti it to liveživjeti anotherjoš day.
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od kojih će moći preživjeti još jedan dan.
03:44
It wants only to be here tomorrowsutra,
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Želi samo biti ovdje i sutra,
03:47
dressedobučen perhapsmožda
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obučena možda
03:49
in the sleeverukav of a plaidpokrivač shirtkošulja,
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u rukav karirane košulje,
03:51
nosenos pressedprešani againstprotiv the pagestranica,
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nosa pritisnutog uz stranicu,
03:53
writingpisanje a fewnekoliko more dutifulposlušan lineslinije
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i ispisati još nekoliko obveznih redaka
03:57
while I gazepogled out the windowprozor
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dok ja gledam kroz prozor
03:59
and imaginezamisliti BudapestBudimpešta
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i zamišljam Budimpeštu
04:01
or some other cityGrad
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ili neki drugi grad
04:03
where I have never been.
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u kojem nisam nikad bio.
04:07
BCPRIJE KRISTA: So that makesmarke it seemčiniti se a little easierlakše.
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BC: To malo olakšava pjesmu.
04:10
(ApplausePljesak)
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(Pljesak)
04:12
WritingPisanje is not actuallyzapravo as easylako as that for me.
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Pisanje mi zapravo nije tako lako,
04:16
But I like to pretendpretvarati se that it comesdolazi with easeolakšati.
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ali volim se pretvarati da mi dolazi s lakoćom.
04:21
One of my studentsstudenti camedošao up after classklasa, an introductoryuvodni classklasa,
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Jedna od mojih studentica došla je
do mene nakon uvodnog predavanja
04:24
and she said, "You know, poetrypoezija is harderteže than writingpisanje,"
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i rekla: "Znate, poezija je teža nego pisanje",
04:29
whichkoji I foundpronađeno bothoba erroneouspogrešan and profounddubok.
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što mi se učinilo i pogrešnim i dubokim.
04:32
(LaughterSmijeh)
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(Smijeh)
04:35
So I like to at leastnajmanje pretendpretvarati se it just flowsteče out.
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Tako da se volim barem pretvarati da samo teče.
04:38
A friendprijatelj of minerudnik has a sloganslogan; he's anotherjoš poetpjesnik.
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Jedan moj prijatelj ima slogan; i on je pjesnik.
04:41
He sayskaže that, "If at first you don't succeeduspjeti,
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On kaže da "ako ne uspiješ od prve,
04:44
hidesakriti all evidencedokaz you ever triedpokušala."
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sakrij sve dokaze da si uopće pokušao."
04:47
(LaughterSmijeh)
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(Smijeh)
04:49
The nextSljedeći poempjesma is alsotakođer ratherradije shortkratak.
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Sljedeća je pjesma također prilično kratka.
04:52
PoetryPoezija just sayskaže a fewnekoliko things in differentdrugačiji waysnačine.
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Poezija samo kaže neke stvari na drugačiji način.
04:55
And I think you could boilkuhati this poempjesma down to sayingizreka,
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Mislim da bi se ova pjesma mogla svesti na:
04:58
"Some daysdana you eatjesti the bearsnositi, other daysdana the bearsnositi eatsjede you."
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"Ponekad ti pojedeš medvjeda,
ponekad medvjed pojede tebe."
05:01
And it usesnamjene the imagerylik
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U pjesmi koristim slike
05:03
of dollhouseKuća lutaka furniturenamještaj.
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namještaja iz kućice za lutke.
05:05
(VideoVideo) NarrationPripovijedanje: "Some DaysDana."
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(Video) Naracija: "Ponekad"
05:09
Some daysdana
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Ponekad
05:11
I put the people in theirnjihov placesmjesta at the tablestol,
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stavljam ljude na njihova mjesta za stolom,
05:14
bendzavoj theirnjihov legsnoge at the kneeskoljena,
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savijam im noge u koljenima,
05:16
if they come with that featuresvojstvo,
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ako su tako napravljeni,
05:18
and fixpopraviti them into the tinysićušan woodendrveni chairsstolice.
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i smještam ih na malene drvene stolice.
05:22
All afternoonposlijepodne they facelice one anotherjoš,
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Cijelo poslijepodne gledaju jedni druge,
05:25
the man in the brownsmeđ suitodijelo,
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čovjek u smeđem odijelu,
05:27
the womanžena in the blueplava dresshaljina --
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žena u plavoj haljini --
05:29
perfectlysavršeno motionlessnepomično, perfectlysavršeno behavedponašao.
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potpuno nepokretni, savršeno pristojni.
05:33
But other daysdana I am the one
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No drugih dana ja sam taj
05:35
who is liftedpodiže up by the ribsrebra
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kojeg primaju pod rebra i podižu
05:37
then loweredspušta into the diningblagovaonica roomsoba of a dollhouseKuća lutaka
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i zatim spuštaju u blagovaonicu kuće za lutke
05:41
to sitsjediti with the othersdrugi at the long tablestol.
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kako bih sjedio s drugima za dugim stolom.
05:44
Very funnysmiješno.
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Jako smiješno.
05:46
But how would you like it
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No kako bi se vama svidjelo
05:48
if you never knewznao from one day to the nextSljedeći
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da vam je svaki dan neizvjesno
05:51
if you were going to spendprovesti it
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hoćete li ga provesti
05:53
stridinghodanja around like a vividživopisan god,
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koračajući uokolo poput živopisnog boga,
05:56
your shouldersramena in the cloudsoblaci,
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s ramenima u oblacima,
05:59
or sittingsjedenje down there
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ili sjedeći ovdje dolje
06:01
amidstusred the wallpaperpozadina
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okružen tapetama
06:03
staringzurenje straightravno aheadnaprijed
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pogleda uperenog pred sebe
06:05
with your little plasticplastika facelice?
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na malenom plastičnom licu?
06:11
(ApplausePljesak)
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(Pljesak)
06:16
BCPRIJE KRISTA: There's a horroružas moviefilm in there somewherenegdje.
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BC: Materijal za horor film.
06:19
The nextSljedeći poempjesma is calledzvao forgetfulnesszaborava,
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Sljedeća se pjesma zove "Zaboravnost"
06:21
and it's really just a kindljubazan of poeticpjesnički essayesej
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i zapravo je poetski esej
06:23
on the subjectpredmet of mentalmentalni slippageklizanje.
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na temu mentalnog opadanja.
06:27
And the poempjesma beginspočinje
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Pjesma počinje
06:29
with a certainsiguran speciesvrsta of forgetfulnesszaborava
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određenom vrstom zaboravnosti
06:32
that someonenetko calledzvao
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koju je netko nazvao
06:34
literaryknjiževni amnesiaamnezija,
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literarnom amnezijom,
06:36
in other wordsriječi, forgettingzaboravljajući the things that you have readčitati.
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odnosno zaboravljanjem stvari koje ste pročitali.
06:43
(VideoVideo) NarrationPripovijedanje: "ForgetfulnessZaborava."
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(Video) Naracija: "Zaboravnost"
06:45
The nameime of the authorAutor is the first to go,
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Prvo ode ime autora,
06:48
followedslijedi obedientlyposlušno
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a nakon njega poslušno slijede
06:50
by the titletitula, the plotzemljište,
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naslov, radnja,
06:52
the heartbreakingjad conclusionzaključak,
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srcedrapajući rasplet,
06:54
the entirečitav novelroman,
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cijeli roman,
06:56
whichkoji suddenlyiznenada becomespostaje one you have never readčitati,
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koji odjednom niste pročitali,
06:59
never even heardčuo of.
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nikad ni čuli za njega.
07:01
It is as if, one by one,
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Kao da su, jedno po jedno,
07:03
the memoriessjećanja you used to harborluka
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sjećanja koja ste njegovali
07:06
decidedodlučio to retirepovući to the southernjužni hemispherehemisfera of the brainmozak
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odlučila povući se na južnu polutku mozga
07:10
to a little fishingribolov villageselo
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u malo ribarsko selo
07:12
where there are no phonestelefoni.
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gdje nema telefona.
07:14
Long agoprije,
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Još ste se davno
07:16
you kissedpoljubio the namesimena of the ninedevet musesmuza good-byeZbogom
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pozdravili s imenima devet muza
07:19
and you watchedgledao the quadratickvadratna equationjednadžba
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i gledali ste kako kvadratna jednadžba
07:21
packpaket its bagtorba.
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pakira kofere.
07:23
And even now,
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I upravo sada,
07:25
as you memorizememorirati the ordernarudžba of the planetsplaneti,
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dok pamtite poredak planeta,
07:27
something elsedrugo is slippingklizi away,
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nešto drugo iščezava,
07:29
a statedržava flowercvijet perhapsmožda,
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možda cvijet-simbol države,
07:31
the addressadresa of an uncleujak,
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ujakova adresa,
07:33
the capitalglavni of ParaguayParagvaj.
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glavni grad Paragvaja.
07:35
WhateverŠto god it is
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Čega god
07:37
you are strugglingbore to rememberzapamtiti,
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da se pokušavate sjetiti,
07:39
it is not poisedspremna on the tipSavjet of your tonguejezik,
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nije vam na vrhu jezika,
07:42
not even lurkingvreba
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niti se skriva
07:44
in some obscureTaman cornerugao
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u nekom mračnom kutku
07:46
of your spleenslezena.
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vaše slezene.
07:48
It has floatedlebdio away
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Odavno je otplutalo
07:50
down a darkmrak mythologicalmitološki riverRijeka
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tamnom mitološkom rijekom
07:53
whosečije nameime beginspočinje with an L
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čije ime počinje na L,
07:56
as fardaleko as you can recallpodsjetiti,
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koliko se sjećate,
07:58
well on your ownvlastiti way to oblivionzaborav
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dobrano na putu prema zaboravu,
08:01
where you will joinpridružiti those
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gdje ćete se pridružiti onima
08:03
who have forgottenzaboravljen even how to swimplivati
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koji su zaboravili čak i plivati
08:05
and how to ridevožnja a bicyclebicikl.
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i voziti bicikl.
08:08
No wonderčudo you riseustati in the middlesrednji of the night
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Nije ni čudo da ustajete usred noći
08:11
to look up the datedatum of a famouspoznat battlebitka
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da biste potražili datum slavne bitke
08:14
in a bookrezervirati on warrat.
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u nekoj knjizi o ratu.
08:16
No wonderčudo the MoonMjesec in the windowprozor
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Nije ni čudo da se čini
08:18
seemsčini se to have driftednanijet out of a love poempjesma
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da je Mjesec na prozoru isplivao iz ljubavne pjesme
08:21
that you used to know by heartsrce.
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koju ste nekad znali napamet.
08:27
(ApplausePljesak)
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(Pljesak)
08:35
BCPRIJE KRISTA: The nextSljedeći poempjesma is calledzvao "The CountryZemlja"
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BC: Sljedeća se pjesma zove "Selo"
08:37
and it's basedzasnovan on,
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i nastala je
08:39
when I was in collegekoledž
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kad sam studirao
08:41
I metsastali a classmaterazreda who remainsostaci to be a friendprijatelj of minerudnik.
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i upoznao kolegu koji mi je i danas prijatelj.
08:44
He livedživjeli, and still does, in ruralruralna VermontVermont.
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Živio je i još uvijek živi na selu u Vermontu.
08:46
I livedživjeli in NewNovi YorkYork CityGrad.
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Ja sam živio u New Yorku.
08:48
And we would visitposjetiti eachsvaki other.
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Posjećivali bismo jedan drugog.
08:50
And when I would go up to the countryzemlja,
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Kad bih ja dolazio na selo,
08:52
he would teachučiti me things like deerJelena huntinglov,
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učio me stvarima poput lova na jelene,
08:55
whichkoji meantznačilo gettinguzimajući lostizgubljen with a gunpuška basicallyu osnovi --
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što je u biti značilo imati pušku i izgubiti se --
08:58
(LaughterSmijeh)
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(Smijeh)
09:00
and troutpastrva fishingribolov and stuffstvari like that.
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i pecanja pastrva i takvih stvari.
09:02
And then he'don bi come down to NewNovi YorkYork CityGrad
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Onda bi on dolazio u New York
09:04
and I'd teachučiti him what I knewznao,
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i ja bih ga učio onome što sam znao,
09:06
whichkoji was largelyu velikoj mjeri smokingpušenje and drinkingpiće.
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što je većinom bilo pušiti i piti.
09:08
(LaughterSmijeh)
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(Smijeh)
09:10
And in that way we tradedkojima se trguje loreznanje with eachsvaki other.
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Tako smo razmjenjivali znanja.
09:13
The poempjesma that's comingdolazak up
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Sljedeća pjesma
09:15
is basedzasnovan on him tryingtežak to tell me a little something
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govori kako mi je on pokušao objasniti ponešto
09:18
about a domesticdomaći pointtočka of etiquetteBonton
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o bontonu u domaćinstvu
09:20
in countryzemlja livingživot
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na selu,
09:22
that I had a very hardteško time, at first, processingobrada.
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a što je meni isprva bilo vrlo teško razumjeti.
09:24
It's calledzvao "The CountryZemlja."
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Pjesma se zove "Selo".
09:26
(VideoVideo) NarrationPripovijedanje: "The CountryZemlja."
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(Video) Naracija: "Selo"
09:29
I wonderedpitala about you
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Čudio sam ti se
09:31
when you told me never to leavenapustiti
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kad si mi rekao da nikako ne ostavljam
09:33
a boxkutija of woodendrveni strike-anywhereštrajka bilo gdje matchesodgovara
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kutiju drvenih šibica
09:36
just lyinglaganje around the housekuća,
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bilo gdje u kući
09:39
because the micemiševi mightmoć get into them
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jer bi miševi mogli ući u nju
09:41
and startpočetak a firevatra.
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zapaliti vatru.
09:43
But your facelice was absolutelyapsolutno straightravno
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Ali tvoje je lice bilo potpuno ozbiljno
09:46
when you twisteduvrnut the lidpoklopac down
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kad si izravnao poklopac
09:48
on the roundkrug tinLim
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okrugle limenke
09:50
where the matchesodgovara, you said, are always stowedspremiti.
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u koju se, rekao si, šibice uvijek spremaju.
09:53
Who could sleepspavati that night?
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Tko bi te noći mogao spavati?
09:55
Who could whiskumutiti away the thought
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Tko bi se mogao otresti pomisli
09:57
of the one unlikelynevjerojatno mousemiš
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na malo vjerojatnog miša
10:00
paddingUdaljenost od ruba alonguz a coldhladno watervoda pipecijev
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kako hodi po hladnoj cijevi za vodu
10:03
behindiza the floralCvjetni wallpaperpozadina,
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iza cvjetnih tapeta,
10:05
grippinggripozan a singlesingl woodendrveni matchutakmica
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hvata jednu drvenu šibicu
10:07
betweenizmeđu the needlesigle of his teethzubi?
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između oštrih prednjih zuba?
10:10
Who could not see him roundingZaokruživanje a cornerugao,
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Tko ga ne bi vidio kako zamiče za ugao,
10:13
the blueplava tipSavjet scratchinggrebanje againstprotiv rough-hewnRough-hewn beamzraka,
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plavim vrhom šibice zagrebe o hrapavu gredu,
10:16
the suddennaglo flarebaklja
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iznenadni plamsaj
10:18
and the creaturestvorenje, for one brightsvijetao, shiningsjajan momenttrenutak,
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i taj stvor, na jedan sjajan, blješteći trenutak,
10:22
suddenlyiznenada thrustpovjerenje aheadnaprijed of his time --
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odjednom gurnut ispred svog vremena --
10:24
now a fire-starterpiroman,
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sad je zapalio iskru,
10:26
now a torch-bearerbaklja-nositelj
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sad je lučonoša
10:28
in a forgottenzaboravljen ritualritual,
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u zaboravljenom obredu,
10:30
little brownsmeđ druidkeltski svećenik
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mali smeđi druid
10:32
illuminatingosvjetljavajući some ancientantički night?
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koji osvjetljava neku davnu noć?
10:34
And who could failiznevjeriti to noticeobavijest,
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Tko ne bi primijetio,
10:37
litlit up in the blazingplamen insulationizolacija,
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osvijetljene u plamtećoj izolaciji,
10:39
the tinysićušan looksizgled of wondermentčuđenje
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sitne začuđene poglede
10:41
on the faceslica of his fellowkolega micemiševi --
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na licima njegovih mišjih drugova --
10:44
one-timeJednokratna inhabitantsstanovnika
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nekadašnjih stanovnika
10:46
of what oncejednom was your housekuća in the countryzemlja?
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onoga što je nekad bila tvoja kuća na selu?
10:50
(ApplausePljesak)
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(Pljesak)
10:53
BCPRIJE KRISTA: Thank you.
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BC: Hvala.
10:55
(ApplausePljesak)
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(Pljesak)
10:57
Thank you. And the last poempjesma is calledzvao "The DeadMrtvih."
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Hvala. Posljednja se pjesma zove "Mrtvi".
11:00
I wrotenapisao this after a friend'sprijatelj je funeralpogreb,
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Napisao sam je nakon prijateljeva sprovoda,
11:02
but not so much about the friendprijatelj as something the eulogisteulogist keptčuva sayingizreka,
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ali nije toliko o mojem prijatelju,
koliko nešto što eulozi stalno govore,
11:04
as all eulogistseulogists tendskloni to do,
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kao i svi eulozi,
11:06
whichkoji is how happysretan the deceasedOstavitelj would be
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a to je kako bi sretan preminuli bio
11:09
to look down and see all of us assembledsklopljen.
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da nas sad gleda i vidi kako smo se okupili.
11:11
And that to me was a badloše startpočetak to the afterlifezagrobni život,
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Meni se to činilo kao loš
početak zagrobnog života,
11:14
havingima to witnesssvjedok your ownvlastiti funeralpogreb and feel gratifiedzahvalan.
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da moraš gledati vlastiti sprovod
i osjećati neko zadovoljstvo.
11:17
So the little poempjesma is calledzvao "The DeadMrtvih."
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Naslov pjesme je, dakle, "Mrtvi".
11:21
(VideoVideo) NarrationPripovijedanje: "The DeadMrtvih."
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(Video) Naracija: "Mrtvi"
11:23
The deadmrtav are always looking down on us,
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Mrtvi nas uvijek gledaju s visina,
11:26
they say.
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kažu.
11:28
While we are puttingstavljanje on our shoescipele or makingizrađivanje a sandwichsendvič,
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Dok obuvamo cipele ili radimo sendvič,
11:31
they are looking down
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gledaju nas
11:33
throughkroz the glass-bottomstaklenim dnom boatsbrodovi of heavenraj
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kroz stakleno dno nebeskih čamaca
11:36
as they rowred themselvesse slowlypolako
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dok polako veslaju
11:38
throughkroz eternityvječnost.
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kroz vječnost.
11:40
They watch the topsvrhovima of our headsglave
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Gledaju nam tjemena
11:42
movingkreće belowispod on EarthZemlja.
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kako se kreću po Zemlji.
11:44
And when we lielaž down
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A kad legnemo
11:46
in a fieldpolje or on a couchkauč,
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na polju ili na kauč,
11:48
druggeddrogiran perhapsmožda
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možda omamljeni
11:50
by the humHum of a warmtoplo afternoonposlijepodne,
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šumom toplog poslijepodneva,
11:53
they think we are looking back at them,
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oni misle kako i mi gledamo njih
11:56
whichkoji makesmarke them liftlift theirnjihov oarsvesla
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pa podignu vesla
11:58
and fallpad silentnijem
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i utihnu
12:00
and wait like parentsroditelji
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i čekaju poput roditelja
12:03
for us to closeblizu our eyesoči.
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da zatvorimo oči.
12:08
(ApplausePljesak)
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(Pljesak)
12:15
BCPRIJE KRISTA: I'm not sure if other poemspjesme will be animatedanimirani.
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BC: Nisam siguran hoće li
druge pjesme biti animirane.
12:17
It tookuzeo a long time --
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Dugo je trajalo --
12:19
I mean, it's ratherradije uncommonmanje često to have this marriagebrak --
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mislim, prilično je neobičan taj spoj --
12:22
a long time to put those two togetherzajedno.
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dugo je trebalo da se to dvoje spoji.
12:24
But then again, it tookuzeo us a long time
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A opet, dugo nam je trebalo
12:26
to put the wheelkotač and the suitcasekofer togetherzajedno.
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i da spojimo kotač i kovčeg.
12:28
(LaughterSmijeh)
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(Smijeh)
12:31
I mean, we had the wheelkotač for some time.
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Mislim, kotač smo imali već dulje vrijeme.
12:34
And schleppingschlepping is an ancientantički and honorablečastan artumjetnost.
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A vučenje je drevno i časno umijeće.
12:37
(LaughterSmijeh)
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(Smijeh)
12:40
I just have time
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Imam još vremena
12:42
to readčitati a more recentnedavni poempjesma to you.
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pročitati vam jednu noviju pjesmu.
12:45
If it has a subjectpredmet,
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Ako se može reći da ima temu,
12:48
the subjectpredmet is adolescenceAdolescencija.
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onda bi to bila adolescencija.
12:50
And it's addressedobratio to a certainsiguran personosoba.
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Pjesma se obraća određenoj osobi.
12:52
It's calledzvao "To My FavoriteOmiljeni 17-Year-Old-Godina-star HighVisoke SchoolŠkola GirlDjevojka."
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Zove se "Mojoj najdražoj 17-godišnjoj srednjoškolki".
12:58
"Do you realizeostvariti that if you had startedpočeo buildingzgrada the ParthenonPartenon
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"Jesi li svjesna da, da si počela graditi Partenon
13:01
on the day you were bornrođen,
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onog dana kad si se rodila,
13:03
you would be all doneučinio in only one more yeargodina?
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bila bi gotova za još samo jednu godinu?
13:06
Of coursenaravno, you couldn'tne mogu have doneučinio that all alonesam.
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Naravno, ne bi to mogla učiniti sama.
13:08
So never mindum;
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Zato nema veze,
13:10
you're fine just beingbiće yourselfsami.
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dobra si takva kakva jesi.
13:12
You're lovedvoljen for just beingbiće you.
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Voljena si zato što si ti.
13:15
But did you know that at your agedob
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Ali jesi li znala da je u tvojoj dobi
13:17
JudyJudy GarlandVijenac was pullingpovlačenjem down 150,000 dollarsdolara a pictureslika,
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Judy Garland zarađivala 150.000 dolara po filmu,
13:22
JoanJoan of ArcLuk was leadingvodeći the Frenchfrancuski armyvojska to victorypobjeda
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Ivana Orleanska vodila je
francusku vojsku u pobjedu
13:26
and BlaiseVlaha PascalPascal had cleanedočišćeni up his roomsoba --
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i Blaise Pascal je počistio svoju sobu --
13:29
no wait, I mean he had inventedizumio the calculatorkalkulator?
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ne, čekaj, htio sam reći da je izumio kalkulator.
13:33
Of coursenaravno, there will be time for all that
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Naravno, bit će vremena za sve to
13:35
laterkasnije in your life,
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kasnije u tvojem životu,
13:37
after you come out of your roomsoba
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nakon što iziđeš iz sobe
13:39
and beginpočeti to blossomcvijet,
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i procvjetaš,
13:41
or at leastnajmanje pickodabrati up all your socksčarape.
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ili barem pokupiš sve čarape s poda.
13:45
For some reasonrazlog I keep rememberingsjećanja
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Iz nekog se razloga sjećam
13:47
that LadyDama JaneJane GreySiva was queenkraljica of EnglandEngleska
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da je Lady Jane Grey bila kraljica Engleske
13:49
when she was only 15.
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kad je imala samo 15 godina.
13:52
But then she was beheadedodrubljena glava, so never mindum her as a roleuloga modelmodel.
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Ali kasnije su joj odrubili glavu
pa je ne trebaš smatrati uzorom.
13:55
(LaughterSmijeh)
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(Smijeh)
13:58
A fewnekoliko centuriesstoljeća laterkasnije,
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Nekoliko stoljeća kasnije,
14:00
when he was your agedob,
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kad je bio tvoje dobi,
14:02
FranzFranz SchubertSchubert was doing the dishesposuđe for his familyobitelj,
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Franz Schubert prao je posuđe kod kuće,
14:06
but that did not keep him
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ali to ga nije spriječilo
14:08
from composingsastavljanje two symphoniessimfonije, fourčetiri operasOpera
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da sklada dvije simfonije, četiri opere
14:11
and two completepotpun massesmase as a youngsterdječak.
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i dvije potpune mise dok je bio mladić.
14:14
(LaughterSmijeh)
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(Smijeh)
14:16
But of coursenaravno, that was in AustriaAustrija
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Ali naravno, to je bilo u Austriji
14:18
at the heightvisina of RomanticRomantična lyricismlirike,
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na vrhuncu romantičkog lirizma,
14:21
not here in the suburbspredgrađa of ClevelandCleveland.
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a ne ovdje u predgrađu Clevelanda.
14:23
(LaughterSmijeh)
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(Smijeh)
14:25
FranklyIskreno, who caresbrige
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Iskreno, koga briga
14:27
if AnnieAnnie OakleyOakley was a crackpukotina shotšut at 15
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što je Annie Oakley bila
vrhunski strijelac s 15 godina
14:30
or if MariaMarija CallasCallas debuteddebitirao je as ToscaTosca at 17?
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ili što je Maria Callas
glumila Toscu sa 17?
14:34
We think you're specialposeban just beingbiće you --
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Mi mislimo da si posebna takva kakva jesi --
14:37
playingigranje with your foodhrana and staringzurenje into spaceprostor.
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dok se igraš hranom i zuriš u prazno.
14:40
(LaughterSmijeh)
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(Smijeh)
14:43
By the way,
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Inače,
14:45
I liedlagao about SchubertSchubert doing the dishesposuđe,
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lagao sam ono za Schuberta i pranje posuđa,
14:48
but that doesn't mean he never helpedpomogao out around the housekuća."
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ali to ne znači da nikad nije pomagao po kući.
14:51
(LaughterSmijeh)
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(Smijeh)
14:53
(ApplausePljesak)
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(Pljesak)
14:55
Thank you. Thank you.
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Hvala.
14:58
(ApplausePljesak)
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(Pljesak)
15:03
ThanksHvala.
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Hvala.
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(ApplausePljesak)
338
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(Pljesak)
Translated by Katarina Smetko
Reviewed by Suzana Barić

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Billy Collins - Poet
A two-term U.S. Poet Laureate, Billy Collins captures readers with his understated wit, profound insight -- and a sense of being "hospitable."

Why you should listen

Accessibility is not a word often associated with great poetry. Yet Billy Collins has managed to create a legacy from what he calls being poetically “hospitable.” Preferring lyrical simplicity to abstruse intellectualism, Collins combines humility and depth of perception, undercutting light and digestible topics with dark and at times biting humor.

While Collins approaches his work with a healthy sense of self-deprecation, calling his poems “domestic” and “middle class,” John Taylor has said of Collins: “Rarely has anyone written poems that appear so transparent on the surface yet become so ambiguous, thought-provoking, or simply wise once the reader has peered into the depths.”

In 2001 he was named U.S. Poet Laureate, a title he kept until 2003. Collins lives in Somers, New York, and is an English professor at City University of New York, where he has taught for more than 40 years.

Credits for the animations in this talk:

"Budapest," "Forgetfulness" and "Some Days" -- animation by Julian Grey/Head Gear

"The Country" -- animation by Brady Baltezor/Radium

"The Dead" -- animation by Juan Delcan/Spontaneous
 

More profile about the speaker
Billy Collins | Speaker | TED.com