Leonard Cohen - How to speak poetry (spoken)
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 5 мар 2010
- I got it from Leonard Cohen "Master Poems" which you can download from musicforhumans1.blogspot.com
Hice una traducción al Español en caso que alguien la desee, simplemente me avisa.
How to speak poetry
From "Death of a Lady's Man"
Take the word butterfly. To use this word it is not necessary to make the voice weigh less than an ounce or equip it with small dusty wings. It is not necessary to invent a sunny day or a field of daffodils. It is not necessary to be in love, or to be in love with butterflies. The word butterfly is not a real butterfly. There is the word and there is the butterfly. If you confuse these two items people have the right to laugh at you. Do not make so much of the word. Are you trying to suggest that you love butterflies more perfectly than anyone else, or really understand their nature? The word butterfly is merely data. It is not an opportunity for you to hover, soar, befriend flowers, symbolize beauty and frailty, or in any way impersonate a butterfly. Do not act out words. Never act out words. Never try to leave the floor when you talk about flying. Never close your eyes and jerk your head to one side when you talk about death. Do not fix your burning eyes on me when you speak about love. If you want to impress me when you speak about love put your hand in your pocket or under your dress and play with yourself. If ambition and the hunger for applause have driven you to speak about love you should learn how to do it without disgracing yourself or the material.
And so on util we come to... (there's a par missing from the original text) Speak the words with the exact precision with which you would check out a laundry list. Do not become emotional about the lace blouse. Do not get a hard-on when you say panties. Do not get all shivery just because of the towel. The sheets should not provoke a dreamy expression about the eyes. There is no need to weep into the handkerchief. The socks are not there to remind you of strange and distant voyages. It is just your laundry. It is just your clothes. Don't peep through them. Just wear them.
The poem is nothing but information. It is the Constitution of the inner country. If you declaim it and blow it up with noble intentions then you are no better than the politicians whom you despise. You are just someone waving a flag and making the cheapest kind of appeal to a kind of emotional patriotism. Think of the words as science, not as art. They are a report. You are speaking before a meeting of the Explorers' Club of the National Geographic Society. These people know all the risks of mountain climbing. They honour you by taking this for granted. If you rub their faces in it that is an insult to their hospitality. Tell them about the height of the mountain, the equipment you used, be specific about the surfaces and the time it took to scale it. Do not work the audience for gasps ans sighs. If you are worthy of gasps and sighs it will not be from your appreciation of the event but from theirs. It will be in the statistics and not the trembling of the voice or the cutting of the air with your hands. It will be in the data and the quiet organization of your presence.
Avoid the flourish. Do not be afraid to be weak. Do not be ashamed to be tired. You look good when you're tired. You look like you could go on forever. Now come into my arms. You are the image of my beauty.
#poetry #leonardcohen 
Видеоклипы
Jesus, this guy is a poet. I mean he’s up there with the beats.
The last of the beat poets ,, ❤you LC💋🌹💃
Who are the other top beats?
What drug is he on!?
He went well beyond the beats. RIP LC
I love this more than anything.
More than me?
Firstly, what makes you think that acting is the opposite of what he was saying? Neither poetry nor acting should be/is fake in the sense he described. What, I believe he was saying was that you shouldn't pander to the audience. You should be truthful and natural, which by the way, is a fundamental rule for acting as well. Don't do something 5 times just because the audience appreciated it the first time. Don't look for appreciation, look for truth. That is what I got from this.
There are actors that try to project responses from the model they conjure (sort of reacting to a character cue) vs just assuming the facts of the setting in their mind - having already incorporated the character. Acting is a lot like writing in that way. With writing, you spend 80% of your time on a project just researching it and filling up the tank and then 5% actually writing and 15% editing. With acting, the bulk of your time is spent building up a familiarity with the characters life and when you are on set 'what you do' is incredibly basic and straight forward. Need to fix someone a drink at dinner? Ok, the director is going to fill you in on whatever is not immediately evident on set, but nonetheless known to the character and protect the scene from intrusions. No need to ask what 'making a drink' entails, you know what it entails - just go about doing it. There is your authenticity. If you try to go about it the other way, where you have this idea of a person in your head and you're looking to them to see what your body is supposed to be doing in that moment, you are going to look incredibly awkward and detached from reality because you ARE. Just make the drink.
A poem is the same story. You wrote about a subject. Much preceded this. The audience is not absent of what preceded the poem, you need not go about convincing them of it, you need not go about convincing yourself. If your language did justice in capturing the subject - as it ought to, being the medium of choice - then words alone will suffice. And you can sit there and feel how you feel about the subject and the audience can sit there and feel how they feel about the subject.
hes the best man to have ever graced this earth!!
That was both informative and poetry in itself
Yeah Leonard ! Brilliant. What a great aesthetic about writing & being a poet. I must remember to avoid getting a hard-off when saying the word panties in a poem.
A poem is not act out of word, the appreciation are of the people who read it. How to speak them is to act like a audience. You are no one special but be loved.
You are the image of my beauty.
"Think of the words as science, not as art. They are a report. You are speaking before a meeting of the Explorers’ Club of the National Geographic Society." ♥
Beuuuuutiful...solitude...I love this....Thank you.
Simple et brillant: une leçon.
It seems to me, like he was speaking to Bob Dylan here: "Do not pretend that you are a beloved singer with a vast loyal audience which has followed the ups and downs of your life to this very moment. The bombs, flame-throwers, and all the shit have destroyed more than just the trees and villages. They have also destroyed the stage. Did you think that your profession would escape the general destruction? There is no more stage. There are no more footlights. You are among the people. Then be modest. Speak the words, convey the data, step aside. Be by yourself. Be in your own room. Do not put yourself on."
Forget words, Articulate from your heart, Cut out your tongue, Let your eyes speak for you, Ignore letters and reading, Spin round and round til you leave all speech behind, Climb out of your talking head, Descend into babbling dreams, Let thought paint subjects on your walls, Allow the stars to be your conversation, Permit the colour of the wind to tell your intimate story, Charter love to stammer and murmur, sputter and whisper, to exclaim all your silent and discordant feelings, Forget words.
beautiful
cheers!
Exactly what he's telling you not to do.
Forget words, Articulate from your heart, Cut out your tongue, Let your eyes speak for you, ignore letters and reading, spin round and round till you leave all speech behind, climb out of your talking head, descend into babbling dreams, Let thought paint subjects on your wall, allow the stars to be your conversation, permit the colour of the wind to tell your intimate story, charter love to stammer murmur, sputter and whisper, to exclaim all your silent and discordant feelings, forget words
Would love to use this for a film. Any way I can contact you?
I'm gonna start talking like this and everyone is gonna think I'm high af 🤣
WOW! Soooo good!!!
this is my favourite poem!
this is incredible
purely semiotical! brilliant
Amazing.
majestic
wow this is magnificent !
It has echoes of Shakespeare's play within a play in Hamlet when one of the characters tells the actors not to saw the air with their arms etc.
Master of life Storytelling thru the power poem & song..
Ouço esse poema quando estou triste, as vezes.
Let your eyes speak for you
The best
Great GREAT
this is genius.
is a master
yes
He read this poem in another interview ("Lost interview" somewhere in the internet). He was pissed off then by the interviewer's questions.
I would have called this poem "Avoid the Flourish."
Zen
COMO DIZER POESIA (tradução de Vasco Gato, poeta e tradutor, Portugal)
Tomemos a palavra borboleta. Para usar esta palavra não é preciso fazer com que a voz pese menos de um grama nem dotá-la de asinhas poeirentas. Não é preciso inventar um dia de sol nem um campo de narcisos. Não é preciso estar-se apaixonado, nem estar-se apaixonado por borboletas. A palavra borboleta não é uma borboleta real. Existe a palavra e existe a borboleta. Se confundires estas duas coisas darás razão a quem queira rir-se de ti. Não atribuas grande importância à palavra. Estarás a tentar insinuar que amas as borboletas de uma forma mais perfeita do que qualquer outra pessoa, ou que compreendes a sua natureza? A palavra borboleta não passa de informação. Não é uma oportunidade para pairares, levitares, aliares-te às flores, simbolizares a beleza e a fragilidade, nem de modo nenhum personificares uma borboleta. Não representes palavras. Nunca representes palavras. Nunca tentes tirar os pés do chão ao falares de voar. Nunca feches os olhos, tombando a cabeça para um dos lados, ao falares da morte. Não fixes em mim os teus olhos ardentes ao falares de amor. Se quiseres impressionar-me ao falares de amor mete a mão no bolso ou por baixo do vestido e toca-te. Se a ambição e a sede de aplausos te levaram a falar de amor deverás aprender a fazê-lo sem te envergonhares a ti mesmo nem às tuas fontes.
.
Qual é a expressão exigida pela nossa época? A época não exige expressão nenhuma. Já vimos fotografias de mães asiáticas enlutadas. Não estamos interessados na agonia dos teus órgãos remexidos. Não há nada que possas estampar no teu rosto que se equipare ao horror desta época. Nem sequer tentes. Apenas te sujeitarás ao desdém daqueles que sentiram profundamente as coisas. Já assistimos a películas de seres humanos em pontos extremos de dor e desenraizamento. Toda a gente sabe que andas a comer bem e que estás até a ser pago para estares aí em cima. Estás a actuar diante de pessoas que passaram por uma catástrofe. Tal facto deverá tornar-te bastante discreto. Diz as palavras, transmite a informação, chega-te para o lado. Toda a gente sabe que estás a sofrer. Não poderás contar à plateia tudo o que sabes sobre o amor a cada verso de amor que disseres. Chega-te para o lado e as pessoas saberão o que tu sabes por já o saberes. Nada tens para lhes ensinar. Tu não és mais belo do que elas. Não és mais sábio. Não lhes grites. Não forces uma penetração a seco. É mau sexo. Se revelares o contorno dos teus genitais, então cumpre o que prometes. E lembra-te que as pessoas não desejam propriamente um acrobata na cama. De que é que nós precisamos? De estar perto do homem natural, de estar perto da mulher natural. Não finjas que és um cantor adorado com um público vasto e leal que tem vindo a acompanhar os altos e baixos da tua vida até ao momento presente. As bombas, os lança-chamas e essas merdas todas não destruíram apenas árvores e aldeias. Destruíram igualmente o palco. Achaste que a tua profissão escaparia à destruição geral? Já não há palco. Já não há ribalta. Tu estás no meio das pessoas. Portanto, sê modesto. Diz as palavras, transmite a informação, chega-te para o lado. Fica a sós. Fica no teu canto. Não te insinues.
.
Trata-se de uma paisagem interior. É por dentro. É privado. Respeita a privacidade do texto. Estas obras foram escritas em silêncio. A coragem da actuação é dizê-las. A disciplina da actuação é não as violar. Deixa que o público sinta o teu amor pela privacidade ainda que não haja privacidade. Sejam boas putas. O poema não é um slogan. Não poderá publicitar-te. Não poderá promover a tua reputação de seres sensível. Tu não és um garanhão. Tu não és uma mulher fatal. Toda essa treta relacionada com os bandidos do amor. Vocês são estudantes da disciplina. Não representes as palavras. As palavras morrem se as representares, murcham, e a única coisa que sobrará será a tua ambição.
.
Diz as palavras com a exacta precisão com que verificas uma lista de roupa suja. Não te comovas com a blusa de renda. Não fiques de pau feito ao dizer cuecas. Não te arrepies todo só por causa da toalha. Os lençóis não deverão suscitar à volta dos olhos uma expressão sonhadora. Não é preciso chorar agarrado a um lenço. As meias não estão lá para te recordar viagens estranhas e longínquas. É só a tua roupa suja. São só as tuas peças de roupa. Não espreites através delas. Veste-as.
.
O poema não é senão informação. É a Constituição do país interior. Se o declamares e deres cabo dele com nobres intenções, então não serás melhor do que os políticos que desprezas. Não passarás de uma pessoa a agitar uma bandeira e a realizar o apelo mais reles a uma espécie de patriotismo emocional. Pensa nas palavras como sendo ciência e não arte. Elas são um relatório. Tu estás a falar num encontro do Clube de Exploradores da National Geographic. As pessoas que tens à tua frente conhecem todos os riscos do montanhismo. Honram-te partindo desse princípio. Se lhes esfregares isso na cara, será um insulto à sua hospitalidade. Fala-lhes da altura da montanha, do equipamento que usaste, sê rigoroso em relação às superfícies e ao tempo que demoraste a escalá-la. Não manipules o público à caça de bocas abertas e suspiros. Se mereceres as bocas abertas e os suspiros, isso não se deverá à avaliação que fizeres do acontecimento, mas à que o público fizer. Resultará da estatística e não do tremer da tua voz nem das tuas mãos a cortar o ar. Resultará dos dados e da discreta organização da tua presença.
.
Evita os floreados. Não tenhas medo da fraqueza. Não tenhas vergonha do cansaço. O cansaço dá-te bom ar. O ar de quem seria capaz de nunca mais parar. Agora, entrega-te aos meus braços. Tu és a imagem da minha beleza.
.
LEONARD COHEN, por VASCO GATO, in LACRE (Traduções e Versões de Poesia (LÍNGUA MORTA, 2ª Ed. aumentada, 2017)
:
COMO DIZER POESIA, Trad. de Vasco Gato, de HOW TO SPEAK POETRY, de Leonard Cohen:
facebook.com/linguamorta/videos/314567642862215
I have seen poetry read with as much emotion squeezed out of every word as possible and done well... but I generally think that is more slam than poetry suited to the page. I have to disagree with other people, slam poetry can be good: slam is about the emotion of language expressed through the voice. I prefer that poetry written for the page use the power of the words themselves to evoke an emotional or intellectual reaction (generally through good imagery). But all kinds of poets can suck.
I was simply thinking about teen angst poetry....
@omgelesa I think it has to be.
dude I saw u at INA new delhi before a couple of weeks but couldn't meet you due to traffic as I was in cab..
when u'll be here next time??? :)
Yes, avoid the gimmicks- like 3D on your TV or mint on your toothpaste.
So poetry should not be like being in a play? Like acting? I kind of get what he's saying, don't reflect your emotions on the audience, let them reflect their own into the words, but then again, I'm not sure... Anyone have an opinion on this?
I have spent many hours in the company of Bohemian troubadours and those who would treat the recital of poetry as mere reportage.
I can tell you at once whose poetry engages me more.
No dislikes. No shit.
HOLA...!!! QUISIERA PODER VER LA VERSIÓN COMPLETA SUBTITULADA AL ESPAÑOL POR FAVOR...!!!!
GRACIAS...!!!
Is this a audio recording of himselfe reading his book "Death of a Lady's Man"? And can I get the whole audio file anywhere?
podrias publicar tu traduccion al español? Muchas gracias
disculpa hay una forma de descargar Master Poems o sabes dónde se puede conseguir?
Can anyone please help and give me some sentences of an analysis for this poem? I have an essay that's due in a couple of days and I need a good analysis and his feelings to discuss his poem. Please reply back as fast as possible. Thank you!
chissà se posso avere la traduzione.......non sarà lo stesso... mi piacerebbe tanto!!!!. grazie Irene.
I disagree, I put all the energy and emotion I possibly can into every word of every performance I ever undertake. My face expresses my pain when my vocal expression doesn't say everything. Got to confess as well, I love the attention of being up there on stage, I don't really care what poem I read as long as I get to read it HOW I like LOL!!
And that's the reason why Leonard Cohen was a legend and...other ones will never be :-)
Cohen in a tshirt: So...Different. Very hot. I'm sorry but this man is just sexy. He is the true example that you don't have to be completely physically attractive to still be amazingly beautiful
Can any native speaker please post the whole text, the words he is saying?
I can see advising not being histrionic, but I don't think you need to be as monotonous as say this reading is. Sometimes spoken poems call for a little vocal embellishment, otherwise what's the point of reading them aloud in the first place?
Embellishment- "a detail, especially one that is not true, added to a statement or story to make it more interesting or entertaining." This is completely contrary to the purpose of poetry- as i understand it. If a poem isn't interesting enough to captivate an attentive person, then there's a failure on one end or the other that can't be fixed with a white lie. It's like a TV show that uses sad music to tell the audience what they should be feeling.
He speaks about the way of reciting poetry, at 3.10 "Avoid the flourish" and before about voice inflexions. He also mentions patriotism, audience and the force of words among other things. To me talking is like getting dressed, you don't use 1 single piece of clothing but put 3-4 and match them carefully. Same at reciting poetry, you need to change your voice according to the subjects spoken, modulate the pitch, the force and the speed of your speech. I disagree with Leonard, he's still an idol.
I think you are misinterpreting. He himself is using inflection in his voice, soaring a bit when he says soar, for example. He is warning against melodrama and DEPENDING on your reading to get a reaction. He is absolutely, 100% right for page poetry. Spoken word is a different matter as it is created to perform, to be communicated person to person. But even then, some spoken word artists could learn from this. Honing precision and how concretely things are presented can only add to a performance, though of course in spoken word that should be balanced with using words you would in conversation as if you are speaking them to another.
nothing better than an artist trying to tell other artists how to perform their art. nonsense.