Poet Voice

Poet Voice is a phrase used to describe a somewhat pervasive style of reading out loud that is characterized by a kind of soft, calm and slow prayerful approach. The style is employed by a large number of poets.

As noted by scholar Marit MacArthur, the phrase refers to:

monotonous incantation, popularly known as “poet voice,” which is characterized by: (1) the repetition of a falling cadence within a narrow range of pitch; (2) a flattened affect that suppresses idiosyncratic expression of subject matter in favor of a restrained, earnest tone; and (3) the subordination of conventional intonation patterns dictated by syntax, and of the poetic effects of line length and line breaks, to the prevailing cadence.