Who needs the Eurovision* when you have an international, transatlantic poetry reading project...right here! It started with this post and we're now up to recital number 4 (still all female voices...). So now please welcome Hope (all the way from South Carolina, USA) reciting (by heart) 'Thou and You' by Alexander Pushkin and 'The Termite' by Ogden Nash. I knew your accent would be gorgeous, Hope, and it is. You might need to turn your volumes up a bit folks but it's worth it. Just listen to how she says 'good' in the Nash one. Fabulous!
*I watched the Eurovision (song contest) for the first time in years (about 30 years probably) because Our Girl wanted to see what it was. Some of them were OK and I liked Portugal, Moldova, Armenia, Israel...none of them won though. Even Our wee one was saying by 9.30pm "a lot of them are very similar". "Yes, dear," we said wisely, "that's Euro-pop." Plus how could that burlesque woman with Germany's lot breathe in that corset?
More about the song
This is my old book (published 2008). You can still buy it from my website if you fancy it (go to 'book' page).
Reading in Montrose, April 2010
Photo by Scott Henriksen
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26 comments:
I totally forgot it was on and ended up watching a pile of programmes on BBC4 about poets. Apparently after all the kerfuffle we still only came fifth.
Yes, well we didn't actually have a song from what I heard of it. Jade did her best with the strands of it but we laughed like drains when the poor lass bumped into the fiddler on the stairs!
What about Hope's reading though?
x
What a lovely voice! Really. Well done Hope. Hearing a voice drvies home the point (sometimes forgotten by me) that we are communicating clearly and sometimes intimately across the entire world. How amazing.
Apparently, the Burlesque Woman (you know her, right?) may have had a rib or two removed (allegedly). Personally I don't think she has - I believe everything she says, particularly when she's in the cocktail glass. :)
Yes, Ken, the voice recording makes it all more real...adds another detail to the mental picture we have of the person. And her voice is lovely. All that talk of job-hunting...she should do voiceovers or audio-books or something!
And the burlesque at Eurovision...I find all that kind of thing dull, dull, dull. I used to work in clubs where people dressed up a lot in outrageous costumes...but you see enough of it and soon they may as well be in jeans and t-shirts (another basque, dear, how lovely....). Where were Ireland anyway?
x
Wow Hope! Good choice, good voice. We are ever drawn to the other.
Was that burlesque woman not the venerable Dita herself, ex-Mrs Manson? I rather liked the German entry she graced, which I am already dimly remembering was called Miss Kiss Bang-Bang.
Poor Jade. Not only sabotaged by the crack Russian violinist sniper squad, but they also managed to substitute her song for one with no discernable tune. I'm amazed she managed 5th.
Obviously I have no proof but isn't it possible that Lloyd Webber pulled some strings to get the votes up for UK. I've no idea what those strings might be...TV deals, licensing deals for musicals, who knows...but then I do see conspiracy everywhere... Now maybe he'll turn up and threaten to sue. Oh Jeez...us Christ Superstar (sing along everyone...).
x
Angels and demons indeed!
And if the Lord himself does descend to this blog, I'll send you my copy of Old Possum's book.
I'd better get the envelope now.
I know all the words to 'Evita' (cruel childhood) so maybe he'll let me off with a warning.
My favourite bit in Evita was always 'screw the middle classes - I will never accept them and they will never deny me anything ever again....' (I know a lot more of it but that'll do for now...).
So, back to Hope's recital...
x
I didn't watch it for the first time in years. Maybe I should have, I did think about it, but had too much stuff recorded. Maybe if I'd been stuck...
I'm hoping our girl won't want to watch it every year, Dave. Once every few decades is enough for me!
x
Oh gosh, I watched the Eurovision for the first time in ages too, just back from holiday there was no energy for anything else. I think Dita probably has lots of practice breathing while tied tightly in a corset.
Yes, I'd like to see her try and run for a bus in it though. I thought they said she was a burlesque dancer...she didn't seem to do any dancing though...she just sat there, walked about a bit. Did I miss something?
x
Thanks for the kind comments, she said, blushing slightly.
Funny thing is, I don't sound "real southern" unless I'm tired. Grew up with many military friends and too much t.v. has killed regional accents. Rachel, I actually had a job "talking" once. Out of college I was a state police radio dispatcher for 5 years. LOVED the job, hated the hours!
But of course I find all of YOUR accents much more charming than mine. It's nice to know I live in an international neighborhood... even if I didn't watch the same..um...odd beauties you did. :)
So when can we expect recitations from Dave, Jim, Ken and Shug?
[I actually had a request for Shug but it's too danged long for this purpose!]
It's partly the subtlety of your accent that I like so much I think Hope. We've all heard the full-on Southern accent but yours is very gentle and soothing. You could do relaxation cds...or hypnotherapy!
Yes, the men are being a little reticent on this one. I'm sure they all have much more important things to do...or they're chicken. Southern fried perhaps...
x
And of course your voice is almost indecently husky too!
x
Cool! Hope sounds like Holly Hunter - don't you think?
I didn't realize you were doing this. Hmmm.
Re: Eurovision
You have to go a long way to beat, "My Lovely Horse"!
Kat
Oops - Forgot to say what a great job Hope did - although I had my volume way up and still had to put my head practically on my laptop keyboard to hear it clearly.
Kat
Didn't realise we were doing this! Where have you been Canada??
Yes, I thought she sounded a little Holly Hunter...and HH is in at least one of my favourite films.
So, Kat...what are you going to learn? Got to learn it by heart...them's the rules.
x
I had forgotten that the horse song you mention was the Father Ted song, Kat! Now that's what I call music...
x
Hurrah for Eurovision! We chose the night that Ireland was trying to qualify to go to the cinema--had it practically to ourselves; everyone seemed to be home glued to the tv.
SO bummed that I can't hear Hope!! Stupid slow rural dial-up crap connection.
>:-(
Well, it'll be up there forever now Susan. Some time you'll get to hear it.
x
Nice one, Hope, and a very pleasant accent!
Susan: Sorry you can't hear Hope. Allow me to describe her for you... Lovely.
Yes, we'll have to send in a crack team to record her with a better microphone next time. Like a Poetry A Team or something. Led by..?
x
Thanks sorlil...I forgot to chime in earlier that I had exactly the same thoughts about YOUR accent. :)
Uh oh, this is where I realize I forgot to kiss up to Ken in public and declare him BRILLIANT! for the musical choice he sent me previously for winning one of his contests. :)
I wonder if the thought of being caught talking to myself made me quieter than normal? I'm on vacation next week...maybe I'll try something else as an experiment for Rachel. :)
Yes, lots more please. And either plug an extra mike into your pc or find someone with a phone that will record sound. We use Mark's i-phone...it is a very clever little thing. When I say 'we' obviously I am using the much-used-in-this-house royal 'we'.
x
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