"What Do Words Mean?" / My 1st Collaboration on DSound—Music by@grant-vegra
As part of testing the parameters of poetry, and Steemit, I'm happy to collaborate on this love letter to language with a fellow Steemian, sound artist: @grant-vegra. Since this is a poem, it is important that you can hear the words, clearly, and that the music is in no way distracting. I think that we have achieved this, here, and that the overall experience of the piece is enhanced by the atmospheric sounds and meditative space that @grant-vegra creates around the poem. I hope that you will agree. Below, are the words to my *Words*, if you wish to follow along:
coloring books or pickpockets,
signposts or scratching posts,
fakirs over hot coals.
Certain words must be earned
just as emotions are suffered
before they can be uttered
—clean as a kept promise.
Words as witnesses
testifying their truths
squalid or rarefied
inevitable, irrefutable.
But, words must not carry
more than they can
it's not good for their backs
or their reputations.
For, whether they dance alone
or with an invisible partner,
every word is a cosmos
dissolving the inarticulate.
© Yahia Lababidi
(Image: Pixabay)
If you enjoyed this, you might appreciate another poetry reading of mine on @dsound: Are You an Internet Addict?
Also, please, visit Grant's blog, to hear more of his beats: steemit.com/@grant-vegra
► Listen on DSound
► Listen from source (IPFS)
I think all poetry/podcasts should be posted with some backing tracks :) I enjoyed this collab :D
Hey, I agree, and am really glad you took this on—very pleased with the result & hope it reaches a wider audience 🤗
I loved the poem, the power and vulnerabilities of words flowing through. This worked well with the music behind it. Volumes were good, and your reading came through, paced beautifully by the rhythm.
You’re a generous soul & this makes me very happy to hear —I got coaching from @d-pend, who turned me onto @dsound, about how to hold mic, etc... Glad you think it worked and the words/what’s in between them reached you 🙏🏼
I have to learn how to position the mic better, so glad to hear you are learning the tricks of the trade. As for music, that's still a further step in my constant progression, but I'm enjoying the ride, and seeing it work out for people such as yourself. I'm in your slipstream, I hope you don't mind?
Hah, wonderful word/concept, “slipstream”—thanks, for introducing me to it.
I think (one) trick is not to speak, directly, into mic, but to hover over it. Also, perhaps, to have bit of cloth over it. Trial & error...
Music is fun, and gives it more texture and dimension. I’ve had musicians accompany me in the real world, as I read, and enjoyed that. I was even, recently, part of a musical play (I read poetry, they played instruments and sang) and find that music has a calming influence on audience (and the shy poet, yours truly, feels less alone). Sweet dreams, my friend. 🙇🏻♂️
Really liked this.
It's quite a simple image - yet, it is effective.
indeed! I did love the voice recording - it was well paced and spoken eloquently. The music fit in just right, a little bit eerie, as if we were exploring something unknown. Good job to the both of you :)
Fantastic comments, Jeremy; many thanks, for reading/listening, closely. It did feel like the music was exploring some inner/outer space & it’s gratifying to learn that pacing and reading worked for you.
I’m pleased with the results, too, and think music served words/ mood well. I look forward to more of these collabs, in the near future!
I'll be looking forward to hear more! I do occasional spoken word (videos), and they're fun to do - but yours do sound quite professional. Probably, it would be fair to say the most professional reading I have heard. Tiny bit jealous ;)
Haha, yes, I’ve seen a video of yours and enjoyed it! You read, expressively, and use your entire body :)
No need to be jealous, young man, it takes a lot of practice. I’ve been reading my poetry, in public, for close to a decade a half, now!
(I started off v. shy ;)
Here, for example, is a reading I did (9 years ago) as part of an Int’l Poetry Festival in Eastern Europe (Slovakia)
Practice definitely shows! Even 9 years ago your pacing was great... although that light and setting would definitely throw me off! Thank you for the encouragement :)
You’re kind to say so, Jeremy, thanks 🙏🏼
I will admit that a bit of acting goes into it (as I was terribly nervous that night).
A drink or two help, as I still get shy reading in public & knowing your material inside out. Best of luck!
Social anxiety is tough! I would like to try one day, but I don't see it happening soon haha
Never say never...
This first collaboration is done very well- The sounds carry their portion of the cosmos on their backs.
I like that, sounds carrying a portion of the cosmos on their backs ;) There is so much that is unsayable with words...
As Goethe says: All art aspires to the condition of music
Thank you, for your kind words of encouragement 🙏🏼
That turned out well. You were right that the music enhanced the overall experience. I look forward to hearing more collaborations from you. Maybe before too long you can release an record to accompany your books.
My favorite part was the whole stanza about certain words having to be earned. I feel that a person's experiences go a long away in discerning the weight that their words hold.
Excellent to hear, my friend, and you got me thinking with that idea about releasing a record — who knows, maybe, one day?!
Yes, the weight of words are backed by experience—the way paper money was once backed by gold (and, now, trust). Many thanks 🙏🏼
@yahialababidi ... the depth and power of this poem blended perfectly with the music. My favorite line ... "every word is a cosmos" ...so many layers to this.. delicious, thank you.
Glad you enjoyed the collaboration and hope to do more in the future. Language is the house of being.
—Martin Heidegger
Thank you for collaborating with me to promote this post as explained at https://steemit.com/steemit/@jerrybanfield/10-ways-to-fund-a-steem-growth-project.