ΠΝΥΞ - PNYX

ΠΝΥΞ  - PNYX - Listening to minor voices

The Pnyx is a rocky hill in the heart of Athens, surrounded by parkland. On its slope lies a vast platform of eroded rock, as well as the orator's stone. 

From 507 BC onwards, the Athenians gathered on the Pnyx to hold their political assemblies. In order to reduce the influence of oligarchic  aristocracy on the politics of the polis, they established an assembly for a direct democracy that granted equal rights to ‘free citizens’ – 
but excluding women, slaves and foreigners. 

This ‘parliament of the world’ ensured the equal application of the laws, whilst at the same time it was a popular assembly capable of neutralising citizens if they posed a threat to the state or were potential tyrants.

Minor Voices

When a grand voice resounds, from high above and far away, 
the many minor voices fall in one 
this grand voice resounds, undisturbed and amplified,
filiation from the father to the son
and they are gathered as individuals, as units, and as ones
can’t assemble anymore 

The one grand voice drowns out everything, 
drowning all the multiplicity 
the form of its assembly, a choir based on blood 
is orchestrated towards unity
They are gathered as individuals, as units, and as ones
so that they cant assemble anymore 

listen to the small sounds, hear the minor voice
background vocals, overtones, 
listen to the thing-world and their racket and their noise, 
minor voices never dwell alone

Queer voice, lazy falsetto, relax mode, 
letting themselves sink in sonic seas, 
disperse and weave, dismiss binary codes
minor voices sing in funny keys
The more that they become, the more minor they become 
only as minor they can reconvene

Eluding all majorities, unfit for unities, 
disposable just to their swarm’s surrounds 
they drift in many waters, of which they are a part,
and in the songs of all the things around 
the more that they become, the more minor they become, 
only as minor they can reconvene

Half-loud voices from untracked geographies 
echoing from souls that carry on, 
a sudden sound, a rumble, a harking and a hum 
minor voices never dwell alone.

And an unruly wind produces windy kin, 
and brings with it all sorts of minor voice 
soul kin reaches to machines and to things
deriving not from blood and not from choice
Into the swarm the minor voice disjoins and dissipates, 
Roving all around in resonance

Unexpected souls are expecting us 
animae, blowing in the wind, 
kindred codes and ghosts, animate things, 
they belong to the drifty, windy kin. 
Into the swarm the minor voice disjoins and dissipates, 
roving all around in resonance

Listen to the small sounds, hear the minor voice.
background vocals, overtones, 
listen to the thing-world and their racket and their noise, 
minor voices never dwell alone.

listen to voices with machinic ears, 
listen round corners and in kinks 
listen to the spirit-world, listen to the air, 
listen to the wending windy kin. 
listen round corners and in kinks,
listen to the wending windy kin.