The fifteenth poem in our Palestine Advent series is Seeds in Flight, by
Khaled Abdallah, translated by Sara Veghefian with … More
Sunday, 12 May 2019
Writing poetry in silence?
I have to admit I'm always surprised when other poets tell me they write with music playing in the background. I find music imposes its own sounds, and doesn't allow the rhythm, cadence and melody of words to form in my head and then fall on to the page. In other words, I need silence to write poetry. What about you...?
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It's almost impossible for me to write anything while music is playing becuase my computer speaks the words I'm typing aloud as I type them and since I listen to music via my laptop, it's coming out of the same speaker and is really distracting.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that the sound of music disruptts the melody and rhythm of the words too ... and that is probably the most important thing I focus on when I'm writing a poem :)_
The sounds of words are crucial for any poet, but your awareness of them must be heightened, Giles, and that comes through in youre poetry.
DeleteI could never write with the radio or music playing in the background. Sometimes background noise is unavoidable, but say when you're on a train jotting down some ideas and someone comes along blaring music that's it!
ReplyDeleteI can only manage reading trashy novels on trains and planes, Maria, so you're well ahead of me!
DeleteDefinitely silence...
ReplyDeleteespecially as I approach a final draft. I have written drafts in workshops in all kinds of venues with a variety of background sounds, but I think the imposed time restraints in those situations help the adrenalin to flow!
Workshops must be a very different atmosphere, Caroline, but I've never attended one myself...!
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