for chipbutty

[twelveoone]

In doing so the audiotext also highlights an understudied aspect of the poem. Despite its title, "Song of Myself" is a polyvocal poem, one in which several poetic personae and voices compete.

 

[butters]

THANKYOU! my favourite all time poem.

i'm listening to this right now.


not keen on the first female voice... it 'sounds' a lot softer, smoother, in my head


still listening... god, she's annoying. but i persevere...

 

[twelveoone]

at your service.
Note: polyvocal concept. Things meant to be read in different voices. Found an interesting thread from a couple years ago, how would you read this?

 

[butters]

at your service.
Note: polyvocal concept. Things meant to be read in different voices. Found an interesting thread from a couple years ago, how would you read this?

lol, yeah, i picked up on that after i'd posted... still listening as i type.

i'm not saying i could read it any better, but in my head, the voice is masculine for a start, lacking the accent she has (which i'm finding annoying) - a voice melodious, soft, then lively, direct, demanding, exuberant, joyous, reflective, spiritual, earthy, transcendent ...

i find this poem addresses so much, so many, that it not only has room for but demands the polyvocal... to read it any other way would render it flat, composite-board... the stresses, intrinsic harmony in hos word-choices, the pauses, the assonance and all the other tricks involved demand, absolutely demand, this is read with voices to support them.

 

[butters]

this may be more an english/american difference of where stresses are falling, where intonations rise or fall, especially towards the end of a line... her reading renders this poem more sharp ... hmmmn, is that what i mean to say? one moment.... she comes across a bit strident in her delivery. there are lines where i would have definitely read them with the voice dropping towards the end of the line, where she gives it a rising inflection - or speaks more forcefully where i'd read it as a slower delivery, giving one time to consider more what's being said.

i kind of feel she hurries me through the write. her accent, speed and nature of delivery have me more concerned about those than hearing what Walt has to say.