Little musings of a little ego and big objections of the big mind which tries to fit into those constrained bounds.
June 03, 2011
P.B. Shelley- Invocation
Decided to try to do a reading of a poem this time, just for fun, just as something never tried before. T'was a lovely candle-lit night with one of greatest mystical poets of all time. :)
Rarely, rarely, comest thou, Spirit of Delight! Wherefore hast thou left me now Many a day and night? Many a weary night and day 'Tis since thou art fled away.
How shall ever one like me Win thee back again? With the joyous and the free Thou wilt scoff at pain. Spirit false! thou hast forgot All but those who need thee not.
As a lizard with the shade Of a trembling leaf, Thou with sorrow art dismayed; Even the sighs of grief Reproach thee, that thou art not near, And reproach thou wilt not hear.
Let me set my mournful ditty To a merry measure; Thou wilt never come for pity, Thou wilt come for pleasure; - Pity then will cut away Those cruel wings, and thou wilt stay.
I love all that thou lovest, Spirit of Delight! The fresh Earth in new leaves dressed, And the starry night; Autumn evening, and the morn When the golden mists are born.
I love snow and all the forms Of the radiant frost; I love waves, and winds, and storms, Everything almost Which is Nature's, and may be Untainted by man's misery.
I love tranquil solitude, And such society As is quiet, wise, and good: - Between thee and me What diff'rence? but thou dost possess The things I seek, not love them less.
I love Love -though he has wings, And like light can flee, But above all other things, Spirit, I love thee - Thou art love and life! O come! Make once more my heart thy home!
Like like like:) Beautiful! I could watch it from youtube on my mobile. You really got into the flow of it half way through, so the beginning maybe you were reading a bit faster than you should, but once you were in the flow it was perfect. Lovely to hear you also! :) :)
Actually it was all perfect, maybe I was tuning my ears. I won't get to a computer till tomorrow, but my mobile had the last video address stored so I could re-play:) You read it so well down to the emotions.
I tried reading it myself and realized what it was. The poem is like in two sections. I preferred your happiness to your mournfulness. I did an audio recording which I'll share when I get to a computer tomorrow:) I was more desperado for the first half and non-genuine for the more beautiful second half.
Thanks so much okei, glad that you liked it, it was you that gave me courage for recording a reading with your lovely reading of the Dao. And no- I don't think it was a perfect reading, I would already read a few lines differently, but then this is the magic of good poetry- ready for different interpretations, please do share your reading.
I haven't read that much of Shelley either, but he is one of those who I always intended to spend time on, especially cause I'm promised by many that his collected works hide many mystical jewels.
Here's one of my favourites by him also-
Art thou pale for weariness Of climbing heaven and gazing on the earth, Wandering companionless Among the stars that have a different birth, And ever changing, like a joyless eye That finds no object worth its constancy?
I love that last line especially:) no object worth its constancy, it brings the whole verse home. Will share my version, but I like your dreamy style for the second half better:)
Ahhhhh! So this is what you meant! Excellent reading Hille. You set a nice ambience with the single candle burning and you reading was perfect - not one unnecessary pause or stutter.
You did an excellent job and look wonderful doing it.
You are becoming quiet a video wiz with that new software my friend.
Hardly a whiz Markus! My original video was a bit bigger and had captions underneath, I'm still looking for them, where are my captions! :) Apparently i checked a box that i want to keep them underneath but why would i write captions that you cant see at all-rrrr! Anyway- learning every day. And thanks Markus!
The thing about pauses and stutters is really true. Because it was just audio, I could chop out a stutter with the help of a program called Audacity, and although it might not sound like it I also used noise filter to try to cut back on the background hum. I'm hoping you can still hear the birds tweeting vaguely in the background though.
That was very well read, thanks for sharing! Lovely to hear a proper accent for this English poet, love it. Wish I had that ease with English, my accent is sometimes all over the place, in the same sentence english/irish/estonian. :) I had to do several takes cause I stumbled over some words, or then there would be a popping sound of a new email or something, takes patience! I found a lot of appreciation for actors for reading flawlessly in one take. Enjoy the tennis, missing sporting events is the only reason I miss the TV.
I only realized he was English after when I was making the video, and he died so young! Your accent is very easy on the ear. That's much more important than anything else. It sounded Swedish to me, lol. I'm sorry the subtitles didn't work out because they are so much effort to put in so I understand the frustration. I don't have tv at home either or movie making software, but I do at weekends. Thank you for the inspiration, and introducing me to Shelley!
Rarely, rarely, comest thou,
ReplyDeleteSpirit of Delight!
Wherefore hast thou left me now
Many a day and night?
Many a weary night and day
'Tis since thou art fled away.
How shall ever one like me
Win thee back again?
With the joyous and the free
Thou wilt scoff at pain.
Spirit false! thou hast forgot
All but those who need thee not.
As a lizard with the shade
Of a trembling leaf,
Thou with sorrow art dismayed;
Even the sighs of grief
Reproach thee, that thou art not near,
And reproach thou wilt not hear.
Let me set my mournful ditty
To a merry measure;
Thou wilt never come for pity,
Thou wilt come for pleasure; -
Pity then will cut away
Those cruel wings, and thou wilt stay.
I love all that thou lovest,
Spirit of Delight!
The fresh Earth in new leaves dressed,
And the starry night;
Autumn evening, and the morn
When the golden mists are born.
I love snow and all the forms
Of the radiant frost;
I love waves, and winds, and storms,
Everything almost
Which is Nature's, and may be
Untainted by man's misery.
I love tranquil solitude,
And such society
As is quiet, wise, and good: -
Between thee and me
What diff'rence? but thou dost possess
The things I seek, not love them less.
I love Love -though he has wings,
And like light can flee,
But above all other things,
Spirit, I love thee -
Thou art love and life! O come!
Make once more my heart thy home!
Like like like:) Beautiful! I could watch it from youtube on my mobile. You really got into the flow of it half way through, so the beginning maybe you were reading a bit faster than you should, but once you were in the flow it was perfect. Lovely to hear you also! :) :)
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for introducing that poem. I've read almost no Shelley, despite his mystical allure.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I didn't mean "like" in any literal facebook or anything way...I really don't like facebook...so sorry if it sounded that way.
ReplyDeleteActually it was all perfect, maybe I was tuning my ears. I won't get to a computer till tomorrow, but my mobile had the last video address stored so I could re-play:) You read it so well down to the emotions.
ReplyDeleteI tried reading it myself and realized what it was. The poem is like in two sections. I preferred your happiness to your mournfulness. I did an audio recording which I'll share when I get to a computer tomorrow:) I was more desperado for the first half and non-genuine for the more beautiful second half.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much okei, glad that you liked it, it was you that gave me courage for recording a reading with your lovely reading of the Dao. And no- I don't think it was a perfect reading, I would already read a few lines differently, but then this is the magic of good poetry- ready for different interpretations, please do share your reading.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read that much of Shelley either, but he is one of those who I always intended to spend time on, especially cause I'm promised by many that his collected works hide many mystical jewels.
Here's one of my favourites by him also-
Art thou pale for weariness
Of climbing heaven and gazing on the earth,
Wandering companionless
Among the stars that have a different birth,
And ever changing, like a joyless eye
That finds no object worth its constancy?
I love that last line especially:) no object worth its constancy, it brings the whole verse home. Will share my version, but I like your dreamy style for the second half better:)
ReplyDeleteAhhhhh! So this is what you meant! Excellent reading Hille. You set a nice ambience with the single candle burning and you reading was perfect - not one unnecessary pause or stutter.
ReplyDeleteYou did an excellent job and look wonderful doing it.
You are becoming quiet a video wiz with that new software my friend.
Hardly a whiz Markus! My original video was a bit bigger and had captions underneath, I'm still looking for them, where are my captions! :) Apparently i checked a box that i want to keep them underneath but why would i write captions that you cant see at all-rrrr! Anyway- learning every day. And thanks Markus!
ReplyDeleteEnjoying Federer against Nadal at the moment, and distracting myself playing with iMovie in the breaks... :) now back to the tennis!
ReplyDeleteThe thing about pauses and stutters is really true. Because it was just audio, I could chop out a stutter with the help of a program called Audacity, and although it might not sound like it I also used noise filter to try to cut back on the background hum. I'm hoping you can still hear the birds tweeting vaguely in the background though.
ReplyDeleteThat was very well read, thanks for sharing! Lovely to hear a proper accent for this English poet, love it. Wish I had that ease with English, my accent is sometimes all over the place, in the same sentence english/irish/estonian. :)
ReplyDeleteI had to do several takes cause I stumbled over some words, or then there would be a popping sound of a new email or something, takes patience! I found a lot of appreciation for actors for reading flawlessly in one take.
Enjoy the tennis, missing sporting events is the only reason I miss the TV.
I only realized he was English after when I was making the video, and he died so young! Your accent is very easy on the ear. That's much more important than anything else. It sounded Swedish to me, lol. I'm sorry the subtitles didn't work out because they are so much effort to put in so I understand the frustration. I don't have tv at home either or movie making software, but I do at weekends. Thank you for the inspiration, and introducing me to Shelley!
ReplyDelete