In honor of National Poetry Month, YouTube asked part Japanese spoken word poet Sarah Kay to curate some of favorite pieces. The TED talk alum shares a bevy of performance poetry videos in honor of one of the world’s oldest artforms. There’s something for everyone, so dive in and prepare to be moved!

Among the videos selected is Sarah Kay’s performance at TED2011. She began her piece with “If I should have a daughter, instead of Mom, she’s gonna call me Point B … “, which inspired two standing ovations at TED2011. She tells the story of her metamorphosis — from a wide-eyed teenager soaking in verse at New York’s Bowery Poetry Club to a teacher connecting kids with the power of self-expression through Project V.O.I.C.E. — and gives two breathtaking performances of “B” and “Hiroshima.”

Also some of her other picks include Beau Sia’s Bound by a Line aka Asian Girls Phil Kaye’s Teeth.

Celebrate National Poetry Month with Sarah Kay

More about Sarak Kay
Plenty of 14-year-old girls write poetry. But few hide under the bar of the famous Bowery Poetry Club in Manhattan’s East Village absorbing the talents of New York’s most exciting poets. Sarah Kay also had the guts to take its stage and hold her own against performers at least a decade her senior. Her talent for weaving words into poignant, funny, and powerful performances paid off.

Now 22, Kay is a successful spoken word poet and codirects Project V.O.I.C.E. (Vocal Outreach Into Creative Expression). Founded by Kay in 2004, Project V.O.I.C.E. encourages people, particularly teenagers, to use spoken word as a tool for understanding the world and self, and a medium for vital expression.