Requiem
That it begins.
And like a wave which appears
only to lose itself
in dispersal, rising whole again
yet incomplete in all but
form, it returns.
Music. The true magic.
Each day the sun passes over the river,
bringing warmth to it. Such
devotion inspires movement: a cello in the
darkness, the passage of sparrows. Sighs.
The currents are of our own
making. If we listen do we also
hear? These bodies. These silent voices.
* * *
“Requiem” was written in the 80s, in response to a piece of music. It made its most recent appearance here in November 2016.
O at the Edges 
Music really does have an uncanny way of letting itself into our most secret places…
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It does, indeed!
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Beautiful!
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Thank you, Vanessa!
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Beautiful. These were my favorite lines:
devotion inspires movement: a cello in the
darkness, the passage of sparrows. Sighs.
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Thanks very much!
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I’m glad it reappeared.
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Thank you, Marie.
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Some music, some poems (like waves) welcome to keep lapping back over the senses …
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So true, and often these things take me by surprise.
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I love this poem, the wave losing itself in dispersal only to rise again, just as music does in the playing, even in the inner repetitions, remaking itself. So much of that “self-similarity” weaving the world together. Would you mind if I used your poem in a blog post, giving full attribution, of course, with a link back to your site?
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Thank you, Deborah. I’d be honored.
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BTW – what piece of music was this in response to?
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John Rutter’s “Requiem,” which was strange for me, as I was more of a blues or rock aficionado. But my wife was a classically trained musician and church organist who listened to this type of music (and a wide range of other). I was blown away the first time I heard it, and this poem resulted.
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I just listened. I see now why you were so inspired.
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A beautiful piece!
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the cello gets me every time… wonderful piece!
I sang Rutter’s Requiem back in the day and it remains one of my favorites – I still sing the Lux Aeterna alone in my little apartment (probably much to the annoyance of the neighbors)
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Same here, Sarah. Of course I’m a sucker for cello and bowed bass.
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Absolutely beautiful. 🙂
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Thank you, Beckie. Much appreciated!
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You’re so very welcome. 🙂
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One of my favourites from you.
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Thanks, Anthony. An oldie, but it still has life. 🙂
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“Music. The true magic.” you’ve said it all your beautiful words.
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The soundtrack of my life ranges wildly, and my days are better for it.
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You’ve a wonderful soundtrack
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And it’s always changing.
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Like the turning of an old vinyl record
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Hah! But yes.
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😎😆
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Lilting
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Thank you, Derrick.
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Reblogged this on Ripple Poetry and commented:
I regularly read the poetry at this blog.
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