09 March 2019

Posted by Sophie Jones

Eco Sound Poetry

11-14 Age Group

Here are some poems from today's session that we would like to share:

MY TREE

Pitter patter

Go his feet

As he walks

On MY TREE.

Creak creak

Go the branches

As he swings

In MY TREE.

Rustle rustle

Go the leaves

As he brushes against them

On MY TREE.

BOO!

Thump

He goes

As he falls out of

MY TREE.

TOKYO

Numerous feet against
Concrete.

Patter patter,

Lights flash above, creating

Their own starlight.

Shimmer shimmer

Tepanyaki chefs work tirelessly

At their grills.

Sizzle sizzle.

Trains become the bloodline

Of the city.

Trundle, trundle.

Skyscrapers breathe, the world

Is loud. A red sun begins to rise.

Tokyo, Tokyo.

UNTITLED

Trees creak,

Vines sway,

The sky rumbles.

Orange arms swing.

Slam! Crash!

They race her,

Bang go the guns,

Crash go the trees,

As they fall to the floor.

The boots resound,

The birds flee.

Plants are shunted,

Aside.

They race her,

Laughs shrill.

The gun shoots,

Then... Thud.

14-18 Age Group, 9 Attending

Taking inspiration from Susan Richardson's workshop at the Art House last weekend, this week the young writers took a deeper look at sound poetry. As with the younger group, Susmita read 'The Loch Ness Monster's Song' by Edwin Morgan:

Sssnnnwhuffffll?

Hnwhuffl hhnnwfl hnfl hfl?

Gdroblboblhobngbl gbl gl g g g g glbgl.

Drublhaflablhaflubhafgabhaflhafl fl fl –

gm grawwwww grf grawf awfgm graw gm.

Hovoplodok – doplodovok – plovodokot-doplodokosh?

Splgraw fok fok splgrafhatchgabrlgabrl fok splfok!

Zgra kra gka fok!

Grof grawff gahf?

Gombl mbl bl –

blm plm,

blp.

We asked: how do we analyse this poem? The Young Writers looked at the questions in the poem, and wondered whether the monster questioned itself, the world, or was asking them to another person. They also observed the watery, glugging sounds and the heavy, prehistoric sounds, and noted that the sounds seemed to get more plosive as the poem progressed, suggesting anger.

We then read Susan Richardson's poem, 'Plibble', which explores the three dialects - Freshwater, Sea, and Estuary - of the European Sea Sturgeon, and looked at how the three stanzas acted as a conversation between the three dialects. With no punctuation, they said, Richardson's poem was more flowing, rhythmic, and relaxing, with an overall mood of peace and harmony between the dialects.

Finally, we looked at 'Bat's Ultrasound' by Les Murray:

Sleeping-bagged in a duplex wing

with fleas, in rock-cleft or building

radar bats are darkness in miniature,

their whole face one tufty crinkled ear

with weak eyes, fine teeth bared to sing.

Few are vampires. None flit through the mirror.

Where they flutter at evening's a queer

tonal hunting zone above highest C.

Insect prey at the peak of our hearing

drone re to their detailing tee:

ah, eyrie-ire; aero hour, eh?

O'er our ur-area (our era aye

ere your raw row) we air our array

err, yaw, row wry—aura our orrery,

our eerie ü our ray, our arrow.

A rare ear, our aery Yahweh.

The Young Writers described the sounds used in the last stanza as creepy, demonic, ethereal, eerie, otherworldly, and chant-like.

They were then given some time to write their own poem, choosing a creature and using any of the techniques used in the three poems to convey something about their creature through sound. We hope to post these on our Instagram story, so keep an eye out!

The Young Writers then began experimenting with ideas for a nature poem to submit to the Keats in Winchester art and poetry competition. With its deadline in July, we will return to these poems in a few weeks.

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