For this project, the sounds I chose inspired the poem. In the dining hall, whenever I sat with other people, I rarely noticed the ambient sound due to my focus on the conversation. However, when I sat alone, I became acutely aware of the impenetrable, overlapping conversations and clink of silverware. The dining hall environment is then layered with recordings of the ping pong table and piano in the lounge. These sounds are all tied together with the idea of a common space that brings diverse people together. This is underscored by the trombone improvisation that adds to the feeling of freedom and calm.
However, throughout the course of the poem, dissonance is steadily added. At first, it comes in the form of words that contrast the relaxed tone of the music. First, the phrase “but the canvas is full” introduces the idea of alienation and isolation to the message of unity. This marks a tone shift for the rest of the poem, recontextualizing the musical background. Instead of being welcoming and happy, the joy of the people all around only heightens the feeling of loneliness and lack of belonging. The final line, “not senseless,” depicts the desire to lose sensation in these moments to escape from the swirling colors and sounds that feel like they pierce into your head. Yet the only way out is to leave and turn the sense of isolation into a self-fulfilling prophecy.