Monotonal

Listening to a poem recited in your head as you read it can become a monotonal drone, lacking verve, color, context and texture. So much better to hear it read aloud to you especially by the author themselves who can add the inflections, emphasis and timing, so underdone by punctuation and layout. Poetry has five voices: First is the voice of the poet talking to himself – or to nobody. Second is the voice of the sound of the words diphthoning, rhyming, clanging and reverberating in the poet's head, as a muse hopelessly in love with words. Third is the voice of the reader voicing the poem in their head as they read it. With the words triggering gongs, chimes and memories perhaps beyond the words themselves and reactions as the poet intended. Fourth is the voice of the poet reciting the poem to an audience, with all the intended timing, emphasis, context, meaning and cadence. Fifth is the voice of a professional reciter who brings true melody, rhyme, emotions and resonance to the poem beyond the limitations of the poets' voice and expression. The first poems were voiced recitals, passed on as songs, haiku, chants and legends. Only, later, much later, were poems written down and published.