He’s extraordinarily deft with words, extremely clever, creative, and intellectually alive. His work bursts in multiple directions, makes surprising connections, and leaves you gasping and laughing. . .
He’s funny.
For his avid use of technology, he’s been called "the first 2.0 poet," incorporating images, video, and text—often of audience members or the venue itself—with tremendous ease and effect.
Rives is known for memorizing snippets of the preceding speakers’ presentations and incorporating them into his own performance, to startling and often comedic effect. This ability, combined with his extraordinary stage presence, make him a very effective moderator and Master of Ceremonies.
Though he is a very dynamic and spontaneous performer capable of brilliant improvisation, with an easy, relaxed presence on stage, only the most impeccable preparation could make his fast and exquisitely timed delivery work. "Jaw-dropping skills," as one ovation puts it. He enjoys and encourages audience participation.
Rives is a regular at the annual TED Conference, which brings together people from the worlds of Technology, Entertainment and Design, where he earns standing ovations.
He’s appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and on the last four seasons of HBO’s Def Poetry Jam.
He was the 2004 National Poetry Slam champion.
Rives’s clients include Hewlett-Packard, Hallmark, Wieden+Kennedy, Business Objects, Northwestern University, House of Blues.
Credentials
* Developed and teaches a course on blogging and social networks at the International Center of Photography, New York.
* Blogs at http://www.shopliftwindchimes.com/
* Political commentator for McClatchy News website.
* Paper engineer and author of pop-up books.
* Holds U.S. patent for paper engineering.
Books (pop-up books for children)
If I Were A Polar Bear (wrote, illustrated and paper engineered)
The Christmas Box (invented and engineered)
Ovations
"Rives was one of the real stars of the 2006 TED Conference. On the last day, he performed a spoken word piece that incorporated all of the most memorable lines from the presentations that had come before. I was blown away!"
MM~ Al Gore
"I never get tired of listening to this man. I was blown away by his performances at the end of both TED 2006 and TED 2007 where he managed to tie together many of the key phases and ideas presented during the conference in one beautifully crafted three-minute verbal thrill ride. Amazing. Almost more impressive were the freestyles on the beach. Jaw-dropping skills."
MM~ TED website
"What a fabulous day! In a star-studded line-up, I think you were the favorite. You are certainly the one that people keep talking about, and there's a lot more graffiti in the breakroom now because of you!"
MM~ Director of planning for an major ad agency
"I'm going to invent a reason to bring you back if I have to!"
MM~ Event planner, Fortune 500 company
Scared of the Dark
Rives Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I’ve been here before
But I’m finding it hard
Cos it’s worse than before
Things used to be bright
When you were mine
But I’ll be alright
I’m just taking my time
Tryna keep strong but it’s difficult
Tryna move on but it’s difficult
I don’t understand why it’s difficult
Turning me cynical
Making me critical
Every syllable hurts
Overthinking the worst
And it burns my brain when I'm trying to sleep
And every week I struggle to eat
And I pray yeah yeah
Every day yeah yeah
I’ll be okay yeah
Cos I can’t take this pain
And I cry yeah yeah
Every night yeah yeah
But I’ll try yeah yeah
Cos I don’t wanna die yet
What am I missing
I’m sitting here listening to sad songs
With the lights off
Am I wrong
So wrong
To wait this long
For someone
Listening to sad songs with the lights off
You know I’m not finding it easy
No one ever said it’d ever be easy
I don’t wanna sound needy
But honestly its driving me crazy
Its on my mind on the daily
One of these days it gonna break me
No I know nothing can save me
Yeah nothing can save me
This mess that we’ve made
The same old mistakes
Heartbreak and high stakes
I guess we both changed
And it’s been hard lately
But this is what you made me
Memory hazy
Tell me baby
What am I missing
I’m sitting here listening to sad songs
With the lights off
Am I wrong
So wrong
To wait this long
For someone
Listening to sad songs with the lights off
Suffering in silence
You never see me smiling
It’s fucking with my mind and
I’m running out of time and
I lie and say I’m fine and
I’m not fucking fine
Cos I crossed the fucking line yeah
One step at a time yeah
Suffering in silence
You never see me smiling
It’s fucking with my mind and
I’m running out of time and
I lie and say I’m fine and
I’m not fucking fine
Cos I crossed the fucking line yeah
One step at a time yeah
Now I’m scared of the dark
Cos I’ve been here before
What am I missing
I’m sitting here listening to sad songs
With the lights off
Am I wrong
So wrong
To wait this long
For someone
Listening to sad songs with the lights off
What am I missing
I’m sitting here listening to sad songs
With the lights off
Am I wrong
So wrong
To wait this long
For someone
Listening to sad songs
With the lights off
The lyrics of Rives's song "Scared of the Dark" describe the singer's struggle to move on after a breakup. He confesses that he has been in the dark before but is finding it harder this time because it is worse than before. Things used to be bright when he was with his partner but now everything hurts, and he overthinks the worst possible scenarios. Despite the difficulty, the singer is trying hard to be strong and move on, but it seems almost impossible for him. He waits for someone to help him heal and spends his nights listening to sad songs with the lights off, hoping to find peace.
The lyrics continue to depict the singer's sadness and desperation. He admits that he is suffering in silence, lying and saying he is fine, but he's not. He has crossed a line and is running out of time. The breakup has affected him so much that he now fears the dark, which he could handle before. The song is a powerful expression of pain and emotional turmoil experienced in a relationship. It's a reminder that people can hurt deeply and may need time and help to heal.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm used to the dark
I have experienced difficult situations before
I'm finding it hard, Cos it's worse than before
My current situation is harder than before
Things used to be bright, When you were mine
My life used to be better when I was with someone
I'm just taking my time
I'm not rushing, I'm handling my situation patiently
Tryna keep strong but it's difficult
I'm trying to be strong, but it's not easy
Turning me cynical, Making me critical
My difficult situation is causing me to be negative
Every syllable hurts, Overthinking the worst
My thoughts are painful, and I am focusing on negative scenarios
And it burns my brain when I'm trying to sleep, And every week I struggle to eat
My situation is affecting my physical and mental health
I’ll be okay yeah, Cos I can’t take this pain
I will overcome my situation because I can't handle the pain anymore
And I cry yeah yeah, Every night yeah yeah
I am emotional and cry every night
Am I wrong So wrong To wait this long
Is it wrong to still wait for someone after waiting for so long?
I don’t wanna sound needy, But honestly its driving me crazy
I don't want to appear clingy, but my situation is affecting me negatively
Memory hazy, Tell me baby
I don't remember things clearly, tell me what went wrong
It’s fucking with my mind and, I’m running out of time and
My situation is affecting my mental well-being and time is running out
I lie and say I’m fine and, I’m not fucking fine
I lie to myself and others by saying that everything's okay, when it's clearly not
Cos I crossed the fucking line yeah, One step at a time yeah
I made a mistake and now my situation is getting worse, one step at a time
Now I’m scared of the dark, Cos I’ve been here before
I am afraid of being in a bad situation again
What am I missing, I’m sitting here listening to sad songs
I'm trying to figure out what I'm missing, listening to sad music
Am I wrong So wrong To wait this long For someone
Is it wrong to still wait for someone after waiting for so long?
Suffering in silence, You never see me smiling
I am suffering silently and no one sees me happy
Lyrics © RIVES
Written by: Chris Smee, Ryan Nicklin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind