CHORUS: Collective subjectivity in quotational writing practices

Abstract

‘CHORUS: Collective subjectivity in quotational writing practices’ is a ‘poet’s essay’ that examines new ways to consider subjectivity and personal affect through the use of found language. Through several examples in contemporary poetry, the essay asserts that a collective voice or ‘chorus’ or an avatar-like found voice as a protagonist can articulate the emotional zeitgeist of a cultural moment. The essay argues that this quotational response to personal and public trauma is no less legitimate than the singular articulation of a more conventional lyric poem. Further, the essay emphasizes that the boundaries between original material and found material have become increasingly blurred. As a poet’s essay, and one that addresses quotational writing, ‘CHORUS’ intentionally omits the scholarly use of proper citation.