Tuesday Poem: Lavinia Greenlaw - Audio Obscura
Lavinia Greenlaw is this year's winner of the Ted Hughes Award for new work in poetry. Audio Obscura is a soundscape - the background recorded in a railway station, the words in the foreground 'the inner voices of imagined passengers'. It's a clever piece that shows the possibilities of working with words as sound, rather than text, taking us back to an older, oral tradition.
Lavinia Greenlaw is a poet (she's also a novelist and non-fiction writer) that I haven't read before - definitely a name to go in search of.
For more Tuesday Poems please visit the hub site at http://www.tuesdaypoem.blogspot.com The Hub Poem today is a wonderful poem by Brian Turner
Kathleen, this is an amazing work. Very very powerful--those last lines "I want you to know that someone has seen..." made the little hairs rise along my forearms.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it amazing Helen? I'd love to hear the whole thing. It attracted me because I love eavesdropping in public places - you hear the most astounding phrases.
ReplyDeleteMm, it indulges that 'listening in' that is so compelling, especially on the Tube and on public transport in general. This was so refreshing, Kathleen - thank you for posting it - I don't know Lavinia Greenlaw's work either. What a discovery.
ReplyDeleteFantastic post! The sound, the movement, the visual, the audio... I was charged in every way. Must share this -- and view it again. I love the way her voice draws you in. "Listen." And I really like the way she moves from the notion of something slipping away to the last line. So much sensory stuff happening here. My oh my.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I can say more. it's the sort of thing that really grabs my attention. Found poetry isn't it but to highlight it like that is so effective. I once did a writing exercise that was based on walking around inner Dunedin and listening in ....I went to the law courts and surrounds.it's very exciting to see this. Thanyou!
ReplyDeleteGlad you all liked it. I find it sometimes moves my own poetry on, when I look at different forms. This made me think about the way word sound and that maybe you can use two different layers of sound and weave them together in the poem - two 'voices'..... But what grabbed me most is the story-telling aspect of it that several of you commented on 'listen' - the old trick to draw the listener in and then the suggestive phrases. I really want to hear the whole thing.
ReplyDelete