Is anyone aware of any experiments with putting the words of a poem up on a screen at the same time that the poet is reading them? I feel I miss so much because the words are gone so quickly.

Hi Dave - I'm not totally sure what you mean but I'll comment anyway! Probably totally on a different track, hope not. I go to a local poetry group (only been twice so far.) When someone reads something out, they normally hand out the poem printed on a sheet of paper first so we can all read this while the poet or reader reads it aloud. I think this is distracting, esp if the poet is reading their own poem. I like to really listen to them, then look at the words afterwards. It sometimes seems as if everyone is fiddling around with their bits of paper rather than listening to the poet. And there's never enough copies so it's all who's going to share with who. But maybe you can spell out what you are talking about, if I didn't get it Dave ;-) xx

I don't think I'd like that either. Too much paper and people looking down all the time. I was thinking of a screen to the side of the poet, and perhaps slightly behind them. If projection was Powerpoint or similar, the poems could be sent in advance or carried on a pen drive. But that is inflexible. What would be more flexible would be those devices which instantly scan, and then project what they've scanned.

So do you mean at things like Open Mic events? It sounds like too much technology, too much to go wrong. And, I HATE powerpoint, personally. It seems like the worst of both worlds, you can't concentrate on either the person speaking or the words, duplicated, on a screen or written on those big notepaddy things on stands. But maybe I am the only woman who can't multi-task! On task quite enough for me!! xx

I've often thought of this, I've played with some video makers on the PC to try and do something similar. I guess the issue is dragging a projector and laptop along to poetry nights!!! We might think of doing it for LiverBARDs (I'll talk to Steven). I was specifically thinking of putting up some images whilst reading a poem and even a "subtle" background track. I think it's definitely worth trying at some point, at some poetry night on the edges of the universe....

Sounds a bit like a "happening"! Whatever happened to those?

People are different. If the words and the speaker are both at the front, the audience have the choice which to look at. When I'm listening to a track on Spotify I sometimes get the lyrics up and go through the song with them. Other people would hate to do that.

I think it's about whatever does the best job of getting poems across effectively to the most people, and this would work for some. Glad to hear it's being thought of for LiverBards. Pictures could be good too - but should only be supportive and not dominate too much imo.

perhaps one could do it with boards like Bob Dylan did with Subterranean Homesick Blues

Dylan had 64 boards in one hand and (impressively) didn't accidentally drop any.

Try anything, and it could be fun, but I think there may be more possibilities down the electronic route. Greener too.

This is the sort of thing
http://www.canon-europe.com/For_Work/Products/Document_Imaging_Systems/High_Speed_Document_Scanners/DR-2050SP/

Hi Dave - how's it greener to plug some plastic thing in to a socket, rather than hold up bits of cardboard? Which you could then re-cycle? And you could re-cycle them by having them in a different order and making lots of new poems!! Sounds fun!!

Like the fridge magnets Ann?
Theatres have been using sub and sur-titles for ages, and audio captioning for the hard of hearing is very common - there's no reason it can't be used for poetry too. Except perhaps cost.
Cx

Dave, I know where you're at, like hymns on a screen these days, instead of in a book (a practice I personally hate - like I'm being remotely controlled.) I don't see why words need to be 'posted' if poets have chosen appropriate pieces and have practised their delivery properly. Open Mic's are not discussion groups (paper copies a necessity), but performance venues where I like to see/watch/absorb the package of the writer/reader/ recitor standing alone on his/her own talents. I don't want bisected attention which I don't think I could avoid with a screen of words in my face too.