Monday, March 24, 2014

The Sounds of Environments

Sounds are constantly occurring in life. Life is art. Listen to the art around you.
The following are the sounds I heard in various locations.

Environment #1: Upstairs in the Thomas Commons of Cornell College at 4:00 p.m. on 3/20/14
Spraying of a spray bottle and the squeaking of wiping on glass.
Lots of distant conversations.
Yelling that echoes from the kitchen.
Click-clack, click-clack, click-clack. The sounds of computer typing.
Footsteps on the tile floor.
Scuffs of someone dragging their feet.
A different type of click-clack. Sounds like a rubix cube.
Crinkling of paper.
Footsteps up the stairs.
Jingle of keys.
Someone, a man, coughs.
Laughter.
Clicking of a pen.
"What if we get to the point where we are out of coal? What about oil? Coal and oil are the same thing. Do we use corn? What about water?"
"Oh sorry." "That's okay."
Door opens and closes.
Something that sounds like a whipped cream can coming from the kitchen.
Zipper sound and rustling in a bag.
"Frieeeeendss! What's up?"
Background noise echoes and starts to get louder.
Laughter.
"I have your i.d."
Someone blows their nose.
"What does that have to do with the question?"
"That is too perfect."
"Ah!"
Rattling of metal dishes in the kitchen.
"But, yeah."
A deep voice laughs.
"But then there was like a..."

Environment #2: Fuel at 9:30 a.m. on 3/21/14
Moving of wooden chairs.
Conversations that I cannot hear.
"Hi, what can I get you?"
Music plays softly.
Water pours.
Clanking of metal.
Suction sound of the rubber bottom of the door scraping against the ground as the door opens.
"Hi! How are you?"
"Excuse me."
"Would you like a copy of your receipt?"
Jazzy music plays.
Mumbles.
Glass dishes being placed on a table.
Chair creaks.
Bell dings.
Silence, except for music playing.
Coughs.
"Thank you!"
Sound of the milk frother.
Steam sounds.

Environment #3: My room at 10 p.m. on 3/23/14
Silence.
Silence.
Silence.
My roommate rustles in her bed.
A door close by opens and closes.
Silence.
A couple of people yell outside, but I can't hear what they say.
The wall makes a sound (someone/something making noise next door).
Heavy breathing by my roommate sleeping.
The sound of my hand moving across paper and the tip of my pen touching the paper, as I write down what I am hearing.
My roommate rustles again, shifting positions, and makes one heavy breath.
Soft murmurs and beats (might be someone playing music in another room).
My nose sniffles.
I shift positions in my bed, rustling my own sheets.
My phone makes a ding noise.



3 comments:

  1. YES. YES. YES. Create a video or performance using your poetry above. YES.

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  2. "What if we get to the point where we are out of coal? What about oil? Coal and oil are the same thing. Do we use corn? What about water?"
    It sounds like this person doesn't know much about energy. They know of different sources definitely. But coal and oil are by no means the same thing. I wish I knew who this was. I'd be happy to help them.

    Also I really appreciate your inclusion of different bits of conversation. It really adds to the picture.

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    Replies
    1. I really wanted to turn around and explain to them that they are not the same thing, but I couldn't! It was very frustrating.

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