Sound

I’ve been thinking about sound a lot lately. For one I finally bought myself and my husband a Djembe. Why? It started with a poem I was writing for the Poetry Challenge I did in April. No, that’s not entirely the truth. It probably started with Ringo Starr, if the truth was told.

Ringo Starr? The Beatles were my Jones Brothers. All my girlfriends were crazy about Paul, but for me, it was Ringo. Those sad, soulful eyes, the rings on his fingers and his humor, but also, I liked the drums. I use to dream of playing the drums. Back then it was a little out there for a girl to think of that. I was before my time, I think, because the things I wanted: to be a veterinarian, to play drums, drive little sports cars weren’t so much the girl thing: not proper, appropriate or something). Woman’s lib hadn’t taken off where I come from yet. Good girl that I was, I never thought to question things.

And then the Poetry Challenge. It was a simple prompt. Write a poem about clean. I remembered my son playing the Djembe one night. The clean, crisp sound, a sound spoke to my soul. ( I wonder...was my father's story true? Was I a really his palomino Indian? Was this a sign?)

Often to do a poem I research. I researched the Djembe and listened to a CD called Sacred Spirit Drums by David and Steve Gordon. The CD was very soothing, meditative even. I thought of what it would be like to play the Djembe.

Soon after that I read Crazy Creek Woman. Several essays in that book mentioned the healing power of drums. I bought the drums. Now in the way things so often work, I’m taking a workshop called Poetic Passion: Image, Story, Line and Language by Melanie Faith. (Love it.) For the first assignment I chose the prompt: Write a poem composed of primarily auditory images. So I spent some time listening.

Sound adds a wonderful dimension to your writing, but I think often times we forget to include sound. We shouldn’t, for it sets tone, enriches setting, helps define character. You don’t realize all that sound does. But take a day or two and concentrate on sound, just sound. See how it affects you, see how many times you rely on sound, enjoy sound, react to sound.

How many sounds do you hear from your window? How many sounds have we forgotten because the TV, the computer, our I-pods are blaring in our ears. Take some time and listen.

Write down all you hear, make some sounds of your own. Beat out a rhythm on your desk or beat a drum.