Chen 1
Tony Chen
Dr. Mairead Byrne
Sound Poetry
8th. March. 2013
The eyes of Sound Poetry
The idea of sound poetry is more than just sounds composing a poetry.
It expands through a large dimension. Sounds could create a image, a
image that could paint a picture. It could live within the words,
painted within the waves or an existence within mere silence. It is hard
to imagine the complexity that exists within these sounds to create
such prolific images. It is the experience, the process that one sits
through to able to encounter and be submerged to be able to see with
their ears.
Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl” creates a strong image, a image not only created by words, but also the way it is read.
“whole
intellects disgorged in total recall for seven days and nights with
brilliant eyes, meat for the Synagogue cast on the pavement,
who vanished into nowhere Zen New Jersey leaving a trail of ambiguous picture postcards of Atlantic City Hall,
suffering
Eastern sweats and Tangerian bone-grindings and migraines of China
under junk-withdrawal in Newark's bleak furnished room,”
The
words itself creates a powerful image, leaving significant trade marks
of the world of its time. It provides its reader with fragments of
reality. These words could connect with the people of his time and
stands strong even to its audience today. The words itself creates a
strong connection with its audience. It creates images through
familiarity. Words like “ambiguous postcards of atlantic city hall’ or
“Junk-withdrawal in Newark’s bleak furnish room” calls for recognition
and reflection. However, the “look” of this piece is not only created
through the words, but also the reading by Ginsberg himself. The
breathless reading, the fast tempo, the machine gun like word separation
further enhances the image. It creates the precise “look” that Ginsberg
wishes to present. The feeling of desperation, anger, hate, emptiness
all exists within the reading style. How could one avoid that image once
they have heard his reading? This is a strong example that exemplifies
that a sound poem’s image could exist in multiple dimensions. It could
exist in the words that provides the setting, while the reading, the
presentation, creates the atmosphere.
The poem, “Ursonate”, by Kurt Schwitters creates a different image
through a different process. The setting of the image is no longer
presented by words, as the words no longer make any sense but rather,
only the sounds created provides a different vivid image. The image
exist in two forms, the imagination and the script. Within the brains of
the audience, one could clearly see the lips and mouth of the reader
even without their presence, even only through a recording. This is
simply because of the powerful use of those organs. One could see the
movement, the expansion by the sounds produced. It is not blabbering or
some old language. It is a language of its own. A language created to
create a image of its own. The script itself is another image. The
organization, the use of letters and spread of words is a beautiful
image. It is something that one could not understand but able to say and
pronounce. It gives everyone the power to recreate, perform and
translate the experience through letters. The structure and complication
of the piece could also be seen within the script. The script acts like
some form of scripture, a strong guide. However, this is a guide that
only provide certain limitation and not a full scale restriction. One
still have the power and ability to create their own image, their own
picture. The beauty of sound poetry within this example is that images
could be created even without real words. Why does this poem look good?
Because it challenges the mind and experience of its audience. It does
not provide you with words that could be easily connected to the world,
but rather sounds that one could use to connect with themselves.
After the first two examples one may ask could sound poetry only look
good when there is sound? The piece by John Cage, “4’33””, is a piece
that points to the contrary. Yes, it is a piece that remains silent for a
spend of four minutes and thirty-three seconds. The image it creates is
a simple one, but a deep one. It creates an image that is only
connected to oneself. The audience themselves see what they see within
the time spend. The truth is, there is no true silence. No matter how
hard we try, there will always be sound. Once can hear their own heart
beat, the breath of others, the ventilation system, no matter what it
is, one could hear what they could hear. This is a rather “Zen” process,
it is a conversation within ones inner self and the outer rather
ambient sounds. Another painted image would be one’s experience when
they are at the concert seeing this piece. It looks good and seem rather
ritualistic. One could see the existence of the conductor but not the
sound. As the conductor conducts the sound within ones self, as one
response to the actions and movement of the conductor with their inner
self.
Sound poetry does not only exist in the form of sound but also the
visuals. The visuals exists within the mind and also the process. As we
could observe the beauty of “Ursonate” also lies within the script,
while “4’33”” also paints a strong visual within the concert. All of the
examples above all creates a strong image within the mind, as human
creates connection with sounds. Thus sounds could not merely exist as
sounds, but also as visuals. But with sound alone, without apparent
visuals creates a stronger imagination, create blanks that one could
fill when they encounter the sound. This is the true beauty of sound
poetry.
Works Cited
Blonk, Jaap. "About Kurt Schwitters' Ursonate, by Jaap Blonk." About Kurt Schwitters' Ursonate, by Jaap Blonk. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2013. <http://www.jaapblonk.com/Texts/ursonatewords.html>.
Ginsberg, Allen. "Allen Ginsberg "Howl"" Allen Ginsberg "Howl" N.p., n.d. Web. <http://media.sas.upenn.edu/pennsound/authors/Ginsberg/Knitting-Factory/May-4/Ginsberg-Allen_01_Howl-I-III_NY_5-4-95.mp3>.
Schwitters, Kurt. "URSONATE De Kurt Schwitters." URSONATE De Kurt Schwitters. UbuWeb, n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2013. <http://www.ubu.com/historical/schwitters/ursonate.html>.
Solomon, Larry. "The Sounds of Silence." 4'33" Solomonsmusic, 1998. Web. 08 Mar. 2013. <http://solomonsmusic.net/4min33se.htm>.
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