(« Newton » by William Blake)

it was a path, a road, a way forward
it was not just any other day
yet, in a sense, it could have been

had it been the unusual sunshine
the melodies of the birds
or something in the air

lures material
she now knew empty

she had chosen progress
it had become possible

it was a number, a goal, an ideal
it was not just any other whim
yet, in a sense, how could it be otherwise ?

had it been the many disappointments
the memories of defeat
or having crossed a threshold

liars promises
he had seen through

he had chosen loyalty
it had become feasible

it was a knowledge, a lifestyle, a necessity
it was not just any other alternative
yet, in a sense, there were always options

had it been the discourses of the pundits
the words of the seers
or a quiet recognition

songs of sirens
they had resisted

they had chosen patience
it had become attainable

it was a vision, a sentiment, a conviction
it was not just any other dream
yet, it a sense, what else could it be ?

had it been the flash of understanding
the rush of inspiration
or a surge of hope at the eleventh hour

three little words
we had remembered

we had chosen perseverance
it had become inevitable

beyond the eleventh
later but not too late
unrest until unchained
even past fifty-nine

willing to be ourselves
in time to help ourselves
longing to find ourselves
learning to love ourselves

vying for our freedom
or suffer status quo
the choice had been easy
enough, we had shouted !

beginning on this day
liberty was our way
our space became our own
consciously, we had grown

(« Glass of Beer and Playing Cards » by Juan Gris)

everyday was the same
but she wouldn't notice
oblivious to the game
that had become practice

well, many times she had
but she couldn't stand it
it always felt so bad
better to deny it

rising up as a ghost
toilet, table and toast
iron, shower and post
conform, comply and coast

first stumper of the day
what to wear to the store
while lessons on the way
keep knocking at the door

off to the job she hates
though everything she needs
is handed on her plates
from products to the leads

she can point the finger
but don't try to blame her
her world getting smaller
as if maimed by cancer

dreaming of lottery
while waiting for her turn
windfall sufficiency
so her work she can spurn

a life devoid of zest
and far from effortless
the devil she knows best
a routine comfortless

and when on vacation

only once in a while
it's the same stagnation
agonizing lifestyle

the world offers itself
in numerous chances
she excuses herself
same old songs and dances

which beverage to taste
which tv show to run
her time ticking to waste
while she sleeps in the sun

and then back to the house
the game of cat and mouse
catering to her spouse
really who is the louse

freedom is calling her
but it'll wait after
the day's second stumper
what to cook for supper

then it will be too late
first bottle of a crate
all troubles will sedate
and liberty negate

consistently drowning
the upsetting feeling
ignoring the meaning
avoiding awaking

falling asleep hammered
in front of the tv
her progression deferred
by bottled gravity

all day long inflating
a promising balloon
but always puncturing
before reaching the boon

deprived of what is dear
the nightmare of the past
living her life in fear
only prolong the fast

drinking her dreams away
as she did yesterday
sobbing that everyday
is always the same day

having gone all the way
for carefreeness to ache
it had been hell to pay
now it was time to wake

(« introvert-study » by Robert___T)

« The Chrome Lake » is the core middle part of the « Entering The Stream » trilogy. Lasting a little over 12 minutes, the composition depicts an episode of intense soul-searching, and comprises seven sections identified as follows :

1. Introversion
2. Intervention
3. Introspection I
4. Introspectrumental I
5. Introspection II
6. Introspectrumental II
7. Integration

The suite begins with two instrumental sections that will probably be two of the hardest bits of Poligrafic music to play live, as they are very demanding in terms of accuracy, and also in endurance as far as the drummer and keyboardist are concerned. Surely, the synth solo in « Introversion » will have to be simplified if I’m playing it. Speaking of solos, there's also a guitar solo that's missing (at 1:42), but I'm confident Miguel will come up with something interesting.

« Introversion » includes one of my favorite passages of the entire poligrafic repertoire, « A Break In The Clouds, » which begins at 2:12 and features a melody played on clarinet supported by a reprise of the introduction's theme executed on the piano.

« Intervention » is the short movement near the end of the clip wherein saxophone and clarinet dialogue over a repetitive piano motif.

To accompany the music and its odd meters (and assuming I understood the nomenclature correctly), here's a trisyllabic pentametric poetic portrait of the introvert :

it's not that i have it all my way
safe to say i do not
it's not that i keep people at bay
or let relations rot
it's not that i don't have much to say
i just don't say a lot

i do not smile that much why would i
i see few reasons to
half the things reflecting in my eye
disgust me from the view
half the world down playing one big lie
do not expect me to

don't suppose that my mind's in a fuzz
if i'm out of fashion
don't mean me disrespect just because
i don't crave attention
don't think it doesn't hurt when it does
i'm no automaton

i don't mix with the crowd i'm no nerd
i just do not belong
it's not that i'm too proud for the herd
we just don't get along
my attempts to connect backfired
now i sing my own song

when comes my chance to meet i suspect
i do not open up
when comes my chance to thrive i deflect
i do not take it up
when comes my chance to shine i reflect
and i do not speak up

it's not that i can't bear to tell you
i would if i had to
it's not what i don't dare to go through
i would but not for you
it's not that i don't care i would too
just show me one who's true

you can't see what's in me but don't think
there's not much to be seen
it's true i often find that things stink
don't think that i am mean
say won't you help me out if i sink
i can't control this spleen

though most days are stormy there's color
complementing the grey
though inside me it's mostly pallor
some hues allay dismay
for a break in the clouds my candor
i sometimes do betray

when i guess i am odd i don't know
i'm at odds with myself
when i suppose i'm wrong i don't know
i am wronging myself
when i think i'm unloved i don't know
i'm not loving myself

every day i carry my burden
out of these abysses
and i find as anguish does lessen
the more fortune kisses
still inside it is no rose garden
i make no promises

(« Detail of a poster for the International Hygiene Exhibition 1911 in Dresden » by
Franz von Stuck)

« Understanding » is the third segue in the series that I have written as a means of combining earlier compositions into a conceptual piece of nearly one hour in duration.

Each of the miniature musical junctions emphasizes a particular lesson that was learned over the course of a demanding quest, proving essential to the success of the endeavour. In the case of « Understanding, » the acquired knowledge concerns what I refer to as the redirection principle, which is also explored in more depth in « Juggernaut, » and « On the Meaning of Sin, » an upcoming essay.

The title of the sections and of the entire assemblage will be revealed once the whole work is finished. Those of you familiar with the repertoire of Poligraf will possibly recognize some of the themes that are revisited in each of the transitions, and will thus perhaps be able to guess the whole, along with the respective roles of each of the segues.

Again this is an all instrumental demo. The complementary verses follow :


and here i go again
a man on a mission
to achieve by mere pen
identification
of all errors and then
their elimination
so all can hear the wren
sing of liberation

in hindsight i recall
throughout my history
icons and figurines
of the virgin mary
gradually fading
out of reality
and how my bad habits
down to sleep had laid me

remove those obstacles
o eastern deity
the knight of pentacles
i vow to embody
persistent truth seeker
devoted to study
the implicate order
and synchronicity

up the tree of knowledge
hybrid trajectory
immeasurable mileage
towards my destiny
occasional slippage
reckless apostasy
reformative passage
humbling recovery

punished by my anger
selfish hamartia
cruel doppelganger
acts in absentia
inveterate scorner
chronic paranoia
in the naughty corner
constant metanoia

then the meaning of sin
prompted the deduction
hinted the principle
revealed course-correction
traditional wisdom
incomplete depiction
the alternative you
asserts redirection

setback or deterrent
helpful mechanism
experience abhorrent
same automatism
progress in merriment
transcends dogmatism
your own experiment
doesn't need an ism

error is the killer
suppressing the corrupt
thanks to this redeemer
sin will no more irrupt
don't let consequences
inspiration disrupt
resume your advancement
while evil goes bankrupt

of the deadly seven
the root is obvious
whether proud or lustful
glutton avaricious
indolent or wrathful
or merely envious
the all-important self
disregards the gracious

everything comes from mind
for it is in the lead
none can escape the bind
that follows every deed
leave the poisons behind
ire folly and greed
know the ones who are kind
in happiness succeed

to elude the dust cloud
simply uphold the five
intoxications shroud
decoherences prive
resist the disallowed
towards your goal do strive
stay true to what you've vowed
and you will find you thrive

predestined for freewill
construct your adventure
swarms intuit the truth
living architecture
galactic overmind
superconscious structure
error-free dynamic
creating the future

(« Effect of Butterfly » by Anastasiya Markovich)

The third part of « The Idler » is entitled « Upward. »

The idea behind the movement is quite simple : once the necessity of evolution has been recognized and accepted, there’s only one way to go and its up.

To convey the feeling of somebody who is reinventing themselves, the music reintroduces some of the themes already presented earlier in the suite, but gives them new forms or turns them completely inside out.

There are no vocals in his section. Here's the associated poetry :

I only have myself to blame
As the mirror reflects my shame
I've seen the past and it was lame
Yet it defined a better aim

Walked on and on along this route
I know the place inside and out
So long a time spent in circles
I know by heart all the cycles

Exhausted of repetition
I'm ready for evolution
I recognize elevation
Essential to perennation

Pick me the flower yet ungrown
Map me the location unknown

Tell me the joke that's not absurd
Build me the floor undiscovered

Lead me up steps I never took
Fry me the fish I'll never hook

Reveal the cards as yet undealt
Evoke the sentiment unfelt

Write me the story yet untold
Warp me in time yet to unfold

Push me further than my intent
Touch me farther than my extent

Sanctify sinner yet absolved
Ask me the riddle left unsolved

Draw me the shadow of a doubt
Situate me outside of out

Tailor the skin that's yet unshed
Summon the spirit yet undead

Revive the man who never died
Mix me the color never eyed

Paint me the canvas yet unframed
Attain the goal yet to be aimed

Grant me the reward yet unearned
Teach me the lesson yet unlearned

Upward bent and forward headed
Purposeful until upgraded
Unending magic carpet ride
On winds of change unfazed I glide

And here’s what it sounds like when we perform it. Again, the live version is very different from the working version :

(« Between the waves » by Ivan Aivazovsky)

The seventh chapter of « The Dam » is entitled « Flow » and presents the situation once the obstacle has been overcome, the dam has been levelled, and the test has successfully been passed.

The protagonist/narrator is now moving forward into the dream, responding to the calling of the ocean.

The lyrics are almost complete, although I'm not quite satisfied with parts of the choruses.

Have I ever been here ? / Memories I'm recalling
Of similar currents / And one ingenuous starling
Only doing the things / That kept his heart beating
Not much of a skipper / Misguided but well-meaning

Though it's a different stream / And time has made me wiser
I still have the same dream / The ocean is calling
I'm headed for the goal / No more changing the bearing
I have chosen the boat / I have chosen the river

Riding high I defy
The ordinary
Advancing into the dream

Still I can't clarify
Was it I at the helm ?
Did I really have a choice ?

I feel I could stay here / For all eternity
Purposeful and passionate / In creativity
Driven forth by the flow / Sailing effortlessly
Doing what I'm feeling / Is best for you and me

No trace of the old barrage / Completed its demise
A necessary passage / Into maturity
Still I am wondering / Never really knowing
This life I call my own / Could it have been otherwise ?

Riding high I defy
The ordinary
Advancing into the dream

And I cannot deny
I found my inner light
Now at last I feel alright

« The Dam » is a 22-minute long suite in 8 movements that uses the metaphor of water flowing from source to ocean to illustrate the process of individual growth.

As the title suggest, the focus is directed on one major obstacle/life-changing experience, symbolized by a dam on the river, which the protagonist/narrator has to conquer in order to reach their intended destination.

The storyline is inspired by my own life and struggle to reach the goal of earning a living through my artistic output, as opposed to working a day job to support myself and invest what’s left of my energies in artistic pursuits on a part-time basis, as I’ve done for the most part of the last twelve years or so.

(« Multiac Nylon » by poligraf)

« Sooner Or Later » does not comes from Poligraf's catalogue as such. Rather, it is a piece for solo guitar that I intend to publish on an album of about ten acoustic compositions, all featuring the classical guitar, either playing solo or accompanied by other acoustic instruments.

The original title of this piece was « Maybe Later, » but I never liked it that much because of the element of doubt and uncertainty that it conveys, which doesn't fit the music. I reworked some parts while getting ready to record the present demo, and along with the changes came the new and more appropriate title.

While the first half of the piece starts in a reflective mood that leads into a peaceful passage, the second half remains upbeat and playful until the tongue-in-cheeky coda.

Here's the poetry that I composed for this instrumental :

say do you remember
when you renounced your throne
time had come to gather
the fruits that you had sown

couldn't stand no longer
circumstances outgrown
nor could future further
unconsciously postpone

true love is forever
and you had always known
that sooner or later
that road would be your own

setting out to conquer
noble the enterprise
chariot of fire
you hero on the rise

driven by the hunger
and the smile in those eyes
sometimes lows would deter
but you thrived on the highs

tipped off by the spider
rewarded by the flies
shooting star of ardour
serendipitous skies

angelic caretaker
inspired you to surmise
that sooner or later
you would obtain the prize

once blindfolded juggler
one hand behind your back
willing to consider
one more torch in the stack

consummate plate spinner
you always had the knack
to wow the onlooker
while avoiding the wrack

but that challenge greater
had you taken aback
fearful of disaster
prone to panic attack

tyro wire walker
trembling above the pack
left with daily wonder
why life cut you no slack

would it have been clearer
written in white on black
that sooner or later
your step would miss the track

witnessing in horror
your creation finespun
destroyed in a quarter
the dream had come undone

down under the weather
by your guilt overrun
dark clouds of dishonour
were obscuring the sun

but life wasn't over
though the event did stun
and still your endeavour
could be a fruitful one

had you known your labour
was meant for the long run
much sooner than later
your quest would have begun

as hope touched your shoulder
you lifted up your chin
finding back your valour
you recovered your grin

and against your fervour
you knew walls would give in
and sooner or later
that you couldn't but win

looking back together
and enjoying the view
pray this question answer
tell me you always knew

was it any wonder
that it had to be you
that sooner or later
you would be set free too

(« Underwater World » by Felipe Skroski)

In the storyline of « The Dam, » once the obstacle is recognized and the necessity of the conquest accepted, the protagonist must transform to become what they feel they must be.

The fifth movement portrays this transformation, and is entitled « Immersion. » The word is intended to refer to both the introspective facet and the manifestation of this shifting process, as it evokes the process of entering oneself for reflection, and the qualitative change wherein one fully becomes oneself.

The lyrics have received the « this-close-to-satisfactory » status :


Standing back it's all clear
Following the wrong stream
Everyday I'm dying
For fear of failing

Signs ignored and doors missed
The whole world misread
Always the same barrage
Self-inflicted damage

I must reconnect to
My source and my outlet
Carefully rebuilding
What has been lost drifting

Choosing a better boat
Today and hereafter
The ocean is calling
Myself I must enter

While googling to verify some English phrasing, I stumbled upon the following text, which expresses very well how I view my relationship with Poligraf and its music :

Artists often appear to be absolutists - absolutists of their artistic enterprise. Because they consider it the most important thing to be done - for themselves and in the art world in general. This absolutism often meets with criticism. But there is a reasonable point in it: The artist - the emphatic artist - is the only person in this world who is able to produce just the kind of things he produces. If he were not to do it, nobody would, and the world would remain poorer. A potentiality which can come into existence only through you - because you are the only person who is haunted by this vision and who has the potential to give birth to it - will be realized by you, or never. It constitutes your personal singularity, and you may also feel responsible for bringing about this objective potentiality which can come into existence only through you. It is either given birth by you - or will not exist at all. - Similar phenomena are to be found in other spheres too, in writing, science or philosophy. - Wolfgang Welsch, "Becoming oneself"

« The Dam » is a 22-minute long suite in 8 movements that uses the metaphor of water flowing from source to ocean to illustrate the process of individual growth.

As the title suggest, the focus is directed on one major obstacle/life-changing experience, symbolized by a dam on the river, which the protagonist/narrator has to conquer in order to reach their intended destination.

The storyline is inspired by my own life and struggle to reach the goal of earning a living through my artistic output, as opposed to working a day job to support myself and invest what’s left of my energies in artistic pursuits on a part-time basis, as I’ve done for the most part of the last twelve years or so.

(«Lebenslauf » by Adi Holzer)

« Vigilance » is the second of a series of short segues that I have composed in order to combine already existing pieces into one larger, continuous whole.

Each of the segues highlights a quality or an ability cultivated along a difficult journey, contributing to the successful completion of the challenge.

Again, I won’t reveal the title of the parts, nor of the completed collage, hoping to keep the surprise for the moment of the unveiling of the entire work.

Those of you familiar with the repertoire of Poligraf will possibly recognize some of the themes that are revisited in each of the transitions, and will thus perhaps be able to guess the whole, along with the respective roles of each of the segues.

Following is the poetry that complements the instrumental demo :


increasing are the stakes
as i approach the hall
one slip is all it takes
and from heaven i fall

unconcerned by the flakes
straining against the squall
stable despite the quakes
determined to stand tall

vultures hover in wakes
their squawking won't appall
reminded of my aches
i stay clear of the brawl

nor will slithering snakes
by their hissing enthrall
dwelling on past mistakes
only prolong the crawl

ongoing at all times
whether i wished or not
unaware of my crimes
ended up in a knot

forgetful of the rhymes
i lost sight of the plot
unheeding of the chimes
i gave all to my shot

crossing the great divide
provide steady progress
don't mind that it's too wide
do the next step address

don't let the slightest sign
fade away unnoticed
consent and realign
and forever persist

don't watch the spider trap
the fly heralding change
keep on bridging the gap
while success is in range

avoid the distraction
resist the temptation
lest precious attention
be drained to oblivion

for want of a cheap thrill
feel the pull of evil
indolence does mind kill
the rule is primeval

what's another setback
for us life's do-overs ?
it's learn to duck the whack
or redo the hours

fate blesses the wakeful
and spares them from torment
beautiful dutiful
earn your golden moment

until ultimately
at the end of the wire
appearing suddenly
in regal attire

the guardian of the hall
beckons you with a grin
smashes down the last wall
and bows to let you in

(« Mainspring on a Sea-Gull ST16 movement » by Hustvedt)

« Chronoscope » is the second movement of « The Idler. » In the storyline of the suite, this section is a reflection on the passage of time that culminates when the protagonist realizes the repetitiveness of his experiences, decides to stop going through the motions, and aims instead for evolution. The lyrics presents the internal dialog as follows :


- Idler tell me, do you feel free?
- Idler’s not free, clock ticks for me

- Idler tell me, are you sorry?
- Idler’s sorry, clock ticks for me

God have mercy, clock ticks for me
Why do I keep repeating the same old I ?

The music is essentially composed of simple, repetitive parts, and the intention here is to evoke the pieces of a clockwork mechanism.

The orchestrations which we put together for the live version are very different, to say the least, from the working version. The most obvious change probably being the absence of drums, which came about when Christian suggested that he play the piano part on the vibraphone. Miguel's response was to use synths to add sound effects, and the arrangements eventually evolved to convey an entirely different, more personal mood, which is very appropriate for the piece.

(« Moonlight Night on the Volga river » by Vladimir Ivanovich Ovchinnikov)

The second part of « The Dam » is entitled « River » and expounds the original situation, before the obstacle is recognized and dealt with.

The focus of this section is the slow realization that the situation is not really satisfying, and that the chosen course of action does not seem to lead to the desired destination.

The lyrics have pretty much reached their definitive form :

How long have I been here ? / Feels like it’s been forever
Doing what I’ve been told / Taking in what I’ve been sold
Constantly pondering / Never remembering
When did I choose this boat ? / When did I choose this river ?

How long must I stay here ? / Not sure I want to be
Ever meandering / Throughout eternity
Whose aim am I serving ? / Whose game am I playing ?
Doing what I assume / Is expected of me

Waking up on a boat
That barely stays afloat
Going down with the mainstream

Though I cannot deny
It is I at the helm
Do I really have a choice ?

I used to have a dream / The ocean was calling
Drawn off course by the flow / Perpetually striving
Debased by the shallow / Never really reaching
I used to have a goal / Where is all of this leading ?

I’m heading for a dam / I’m falling prey to doubt
The current getting stronger / Rapids ahead of me
Evermore wondering / Never really knowing
This life I call my own / How else could it have turned out ?

Waking up on a boat
That barely stays afloat
Going down with the mainstream

And I can’t justify
Why should I go along ?
When I feel it is all wrong

« The Dam » is a 22-minute long suite in 8 movements that uses the metaphor of water flowing from source to ocean to illustrate the process of individual growth.

As the title suggest, the focus is directed on one major obstacle/life-changing experience, symbolized by a dam on the river, which the protagonist/narrator has to conquer in order to reach their intended destination.

The storyline is inspired by my own life and struggle to reach the goal of earning a living through my artistic output, as opposed to working a day job to support myself and invest what’s left of my energies in artistic pursuits on a part-time basis, as I’ve done for the most part of the last twelve years or so.

(« Dance Of Fire » by SarThePhotographer)

« Purposefulness » is the first of a series of short segues that I have put together in the hopes of joining existing compositions into one continuous piece of music.

In order to preserve the surprise, I won't disclose the details of the other compositions, nor the title of the overall resulting piece. Those of you familiar with the repertoire of Poligraf will possibly recognize some of the themes that are revisited in each of the transitions, and will thus perhaps be able to guess the whole, along with the respective roles of each of the segues.

The demo is all instrumental. Here's the accompanying poetry :


is the aim too lofty
is the mountain too high
the riddle too knotty
or the desert too dry

how can it be enough
if the goal is so near
how can it be too tough
if the prize is so dear

how can it be too late
if there is still some life
why stop at the last gate
when the roads are so rife


in your going forward
even against the stream
never become deterred
hold on tight to the dream

just keep ploughing ahead
be wary when crossing
the marshes of the dead
maintain your flame burning

no point in lingering
avoid meandering
the path is unfolding
keep that engine running

know that the inception
was not a deception
but an intimation
of the destination

inside still shines the way
bright as the light of day
no reward in dismay
no time to go astray

whatever the question
no matter the duress
you'll find the solution
in your purposefulness

(detail from one of my old kindergarten paintings)

The Idler was born of a combination of concepts discovered while exploring various domains of knowledge during the second half of the 1990s and the beginning of the 2000s.

« The idler who does not arise when it is time to arise, who is full of sloth though young and strong, who is lazy and weak in thought and mind, does not find the path to insight. » – The Dhammapada

I was developing an interest in Buddhism, and from the works of Jung, in the concepts of synchronicity, and the collective and individual unconscious, in particular in their various manifestations as guide to personal evolution :

« L’exigence de l’inconscient serait donc l’exigence de cette évolution, l’inconscient se rappelle à nous pour réaliser ce processus d’individuation, ce processus d’éveil. – C.G. Jung »

I wondered what would happen to an individual utterly oblivious to signs, or intentionally inertial. So I imagined a confrontation between a fictional character, The Idler, and their unconscious. Frustrated by the indifference of its protégé when facing dreams, somatic troubles, preoccupations, and other such signs, the unconscious takes human form in order to convince The Idler of the necessity of evolution, not only on the material plane, but also with respect with his emotive, affective, intellectual, and spiritual dimensions.

The first part of this suite in three chapters is entitled « In The Taste Of The Day. » Here are the lyrics :



« I don’t have the time » is the lie
I will not believe
Coming from you the alibi
Will not deceive

« I have no control over it »
I will not allow
As objection to disbelief

« I just can’t change » is this hell
You just don’t leave
While heaven is ignored you’ll keep
Facing the heat

Until this point you will admit
I will uphold my aim
You let your own inertia
Ignite the flame

Distract yourself in the tasks of the day
Don’t lie I know you’re only idling
Divert yourself in the taste of the day
You know I know you are only hiding

Angels timely sent
Keep getting lost in the noise that is maze
Blind to dreams even deaf to body
Fate is left to the hands of the clock

(« Painting of the Zola dam near Aix-en-Provence in France » by Paul Cézanne)

The fourth movement of « The Dam » is entitled simply « Dam. » In the storyline, this is when the obstacle is recognized and the necessity of dealing with it is accepted. The truth of the matter is finally being faced.

The lyrics are pretty much ready, so better let them tell the story.

1st verse
The feeling is getting stronger / I'm aware of a dam
Building internally / This is not who I am
Conflicting directions / Identity crisis
Time has come to make a choice
Quiet the fearful voice

This current is pushing me / To play for the wrong team
I don't see how this course / Is leading to my dream
Water which has no outlet / Will die of stagnation
This is all making me daft
I am in the wrong craft

2nd verse
Too many lives at once / I need some time for me
Foreshadowed Schizoid Man / 21st century
Self-serving purposes / And matter over mind
This boat is sinking fast
The delusion can't last

Streaming the superficial / Life without an essence
Seeing through to the bottom / I can't find any sense
There's a need for something deeper / That is left unaddressed
Many questions, one answer
Myself I must enter

« The Dam » is a 22-minute long suite in 8 movements that uses the metaphor of water flowing from source to ocean to illustrate the process of individual growth.

As the title suggest, the focus is directed on one major obstacle/life-changing experience, symbolized by a dam on the river, which the protagonist/narrator has to conquer in order to reach their intended destination.

The storyline is inspired by my own life and struggle to reach the goal of earning a living through my artistic output, as opposed to working a day job to support myself and invest what’s left of my energies in artistic pursuits on a part-time basis, as I’ve done for the most part of the last twelve years or so.

(« Morpho emerging from its chrysalis » by Thomas Bresson)

That which you can't abide
Embrace as if a friend
Once you two have allied
No thing will make you bend

That which you can't escape
Welcome as a teacher
You will never espouse
More talented lover

That which you won't challenge
Can't ever make you wise
But that which you surpass
In freedom makes you rise

That which you merely change
Comes back in a new guise
But that which you outgrow
Won't again meet your eyes

Richard Ramsay is the star of the eighteenth episode of The Threshold Series, the concluding chapter of « 2206 : Window Onto A New World. »

We find the veteran politician staring outwards from a window of the sky lounge of his private yacht, musing about the weather, while on a visit to Bahía Alegría.

« The former Chancellor had needed to take a short vacation from all the craziness, to let the dust settle after the spectacular collapse of the schemes of his party. But apparently, even right in the heart of the bay of joy, satisfaction didn't come easy for him. The ordinarily hot and sunny resort had been showered by storms ever since the luxury vessel had moored in the small inlet after which the popular holiday spot had been named. And so, instead of savouring a fun escape in the sunshine in the company of some of the people he truly appreciated, he had spent most of his time ruminating. He had voyaged all the way across the globe only to ponder the events of the recent years, and how they had ultimately culminated in his defeat in the Federal election. »

Forced to stay inside the boat, the retiring statesman passes the time talking with his sister Chloe and his assistant, Peter Conrad. The conversations will lead to surprising revelations.

Here's « Lightning Strikes, » the culminating instalment of the first season of the Threshold Bookcast. I wish you all a most enjoyable reading !

Interestingly enough, this concluding chapter is being published on June 22, which is the date that has inspired the title of the novel. This wasn't something I planned when I decided to release the series. Rather, the move came as a response to the circumstances of the moment. I had been considering the possibility since the end of 2011, mostly because of my frustration that the book was not attracting readers as fast as I had expected. It was waiting patiently on virtual shelves, hoping to be discovered, and that seemed somewhat of a waste. So I improvised a first episode, and when I eventually organized the process for the following weekly instalments, as I entered the events in my calendar, I realized that the series would end today. I considered it a sign that I had made the right decision.

At this time, I have no idea of when I will publish the second volume, nor of if I will release it in a similar manner. However, I can safely announce that the tentative title of that novel is « 2207 : Mechanics Of Change, » and that I'm just about done with the first fourteen chapters. Contrary to 2206 which covers only the last quarter or so of the corresponding Ovelian year, the second tome will span all of 2207. If I follow the plan that I have mind mapped thus far, I still need to write about twelve or thirteen more chapters before the story is told. In other words, that means I'm about halfway through, and given that I've been working on it since mid-October 2011, I'm not sure whether or not I'll be able to complete it before the end of the year. That being said, I am sometimes tempted to begin the second season before I finish the book. My mind is not made up at the moment.

If you want to stay updated on how it all unfolds, I invite you to follow the Facebook and Google+ profiles of the series, which are linked at the end of each chapter, in the « About the Series » section. You can also subscribe to my Issuu channel, where the episodes are currently available.

And on this note ends the first season of the Threshold Bookcast. Thanks to all who have taken interest and enjoyed the story thus far ! Hopefully, I will be able to announce my plans during the summer, depending on how the writing and other projects develop. Farewell until then !

(« Stromschnelle » by Gerhard Rießbeck)

In « Rapids, » the third part of « The Dam, » the protagonist/narrator is being carried from a mostly disappointing river straight into an heretofore unseen dam.

The intent behind this instrumental section is to convey a feeling of being taken ahead by an unrelenting force, and to let the listener reflect on the discourse presented in « River. »

In the storyline, the rapids represent the rising tension which accompanies the recognition that one's chosen course is not only increasingly unsatisfactory, but that the situation has evolved beyond the point of no return, and thus that a change of direction has become an unavoidable necessity. Our hero is being accelerated towards an ineluctable collision which is portrayed in the fourth section, entitled « Dam. »

Here's the associated poetry :

my wish is my motion
channelled by decision
i am running onward
to my destination

intensification
and acceleration
there'll be more upheaval
before vindication

the tension is building
hurried awakening
to my enfranchising
this stream is not leading

perhaps this has to be
passage necessary
from my own eyes to see
who isn't really me

or then again maybe
it is my penalty
karma for me worthy
of past conformity

how life obliges me
to be all i can be
to shed docility
and to choose liberty

of turmoil i'm prescient
implied in the current
i'm heading for a dam
latent in the torrent

approaching collision
silenced inclination
bearing artificial
the end of repression

and then i'll be dormant
drowning in the moment
water amniotic
withdrawn incognizant

cocooned in suspension
marooned in immersion
introspective recess
profound transformation

before elevation
to realization
revived buoyancy
triumphant emersion

« The Dam » is a 22-minute long suite in 8 movements that uses the metaphor of water flowing from source to ocean to illustrate the process of individual growth.

As the title suggest, the focus is directed on one major obstacle/life-changing experience, symbolized by a dam on the river, which the protagonist/narrator has to conquer in order to reach their intended destination.

The storyline is inspired by my own life and struggle to reach the goal of earning a living through my artistic output, as opposed to working a day job to support myself and invest what’s left of my energies in artistic pursuits on a part-time basis, as I’ve done for the most part of the last twelve years or so.

(« The Miraculous Draft of Fishes » - Artist Unknown - photography by TTaylor)

« Asking For A Miracle » is a short instrumental arranged for acoustic instruments, and written in a time of dire need.

While working on the composition, I recalled a tarot reading I gave to the fiancée of my sole nephew, sometime after she had lost her first unborn baby. Although she never voiced her question, I felt that she was hoping to try to give birth again. The cards clearly told that the possibility was there despite what had gone wrong in the past, and that her attempt would be successful as long as she was willing to commit to the process and make the required sacrifices. I remember she was visibly moved by the reading and very happy about the possible outcome.

Her son, my sole grandnephew, is now three years old. The piece is dedicated to him.

The poetry has very little to do with that story. About half the stanzas have been written around the end of April, as observations on events and people in various online communities I am part of. The remainder have been inspired by interactions that took place in the recent weeks. In publishing the verses, it is my hope that some of the prayers and questions they voice will be answered.

sister Jo is in tears
her best friend died on her
after so many years
lost her fight to cancer
the ghost rings at her door
seeing no one out there
she crumbles to the floor
please spare her from despair

brother Bill generous
shares his blessings daily
though strong and courageous
he sometimes grows weary
routine never ceasing
hasn't he earned reprieve
must his words keep paving
the return of his Eve

on his own poor Kerry
wants to move overseas
to join his friends merry
and once more be at ease
can't you extend his range
of creativity
so he can bring the change
he's so yearning to see

and Peter is dismayed
by his circumstances
all his efforts unpaid
never bring his chances
lightworking all day long
good deed after good deed
little he does is wrong
why shouldn't he be freed

Alysson is in hell
or so suggests his name
a boy meaning so well
why should he miss the aim
hankering for a break
from his predicament
why can't he, for his sake
find steady employment

Persephone is flawed
or so she seems to think
why couldn't she be awed
and recognize the link
in how failings define
perfect trajectories
designed to intertwine
and resolve the stories

Kimmie is yet buzzing
planning for this and that
always multitasking
she wears more than one hat
isn't she deserving
for all her energy
why can't she be reaping
the desired synergy

and Gary is teaching
inimitable voice
that of heaven reaching
we have to make the choice
the mystery within
hints at the solution
the answers lie therein
pray confirm his vision

Eloura is upset
in her understanding
she is right on target
so she shuns the warning
blind as to the error
that causes her illness
she shoots the messenger
save her from this darkness

Eva too is lonely
upsurges of anger
and sudden enmity
are nothing to help her
in her soul restlessness
friends coming and leaving
can't you in your kindness
grant the peace she's craving

Chris is often tired
undertaking the vow
a pure land required
in the here and the now
an eight-year wide desert
whirlwind of creation
can't you with him concert
and back his solution

the church of the joyful
has for only dogma
happiness bountiful
solves all enigmata
some shout their bliss aloud
but vain simulation
dire needs doesn't shroud
please still their affliction

and how many do share
that which is not given
hurting the ones who dare
pluck the fruits of heaven
thus their mirror is bent
takers' economy
when their merit is spent
pray ease their misery

and as their world crumbles
wrongdoing they deny
when the setback humbles
they blame the gods on high
eyes open by chagrin
angels fall from the sky
teach them that there's no sin
is the tempter's best lie

all the friends of freedom
hoping for more justice
a new kind of kingdom
with no king nor malice
cannot they realize
that it is in their hand
that they must strive to rise
to reach the promised land

in judging wrong and right
and punishing the foes
among themselves they fight
of conflict in the throes
how hours are wasted
in wars horizontal
prizes never tasted
efforts detrimental

love is the only choice
upward the only road
finding our own voice
yet partaking the load
we're bound by objective
endeavour vertical
together supportive
attain the pinnacle

can you allow this wish
superorganism
must we first relinquish
our skepticism
is faith spoilt by blemish
merciless obstacle
or must we accomplish
our own miracle

The central character of this week's instalment of The Threshold Series is Rahu Lüli, the young cenobite from Kõrgus.

At the beginning of the chapter, the teenager is getting ready to leave the monastery, and he ponders the events that have led him to believe that he has found the identity of the next spiritual leader of the remote community.

« As he finished putting his things in his backpack, the novice recalled how he had come to the decision. After what Kasulik Sõber had revealed, when he had climbed to the plateau where the solar panels were arrayed, the visions of the unknown lady had increased in frequency, and their details had become more precise. His original impressions had been confirmed. The woman in his glimpses neither had the physiognomy nor the skin pigmentation typical of the people of Kõrgus. Moreover, she was very pretty, and in fact her features starkly contrasted with her white hair, suggesting she was actually much older than what her vernal face led him to believe. And considering her clothing, she was clearly some sort of religious figure. »

Proceeding towards the gates of the cloister, the boy will encounter friends whose influence could very well make him reconsider his plans.

I hope you enjoy « Where Will You Be, » the seventeenth and penultimate episode of the first season of the Threshold Bookcast ! See you next week for the conclusion !

(« Source de la Moselle à Bussang » by Didier Misson)

« The Dam » is a 22-minute long suite in 8 movements that uses the metaphor of water flowing from source to ocean to illustrate the process that we affectionately refer to as life.

As the title suggest, the focus is directed on one major obstacle/life-changing experience, symbolized by a dam on the river, which the protagonist/narrator has to conquer in order to reach their intended destination.

The storyline is inspired by my own life and struggle to reach the goal of earning a living through my artistic output, as opposed to working a day job to support myself and invest what’s left of my energies in artistic pursuits on a part-time basis, as I’ve done for the most part of the last twelve years or so.

The opening section of « The Dam » is entitled « Source. » I remember feeling uplifted and very satisfied with myself after writing the first draft back in September 1997, even though I only had a vague idea of the whole piece at the time. Given how the suite turned out and what it stands for, it is now easier for me to understand why.

The composition is an orchestral piece arranged for the « Modern Poligrafic Ensemble, » as I like to call our band when the parts I have written for Christian (our drummer) involve orchestral percussions. It slowly builds up and progressively hints at the main riff of the upcoming second section.

As I often do, I have written poetry to accompany this instrumental. Here's a first draft :

I'm a source and as such I'm possibility
Eager to be fluent in creativity
And though for the moment I am barely a stream
Of the temerity of the keen brook I dream

I'm new born and so I'm vulnerability
Flowing out insecure and with anxiety
And though for the moment I am a shaky stream
Of the continuity of the river I dream

I am free and I have pristine ebulliency
Gushing forth explosive yet with fluidity
And though for the moment I am a bubbly stream
Of the authority of the torrent I dream

I'm giving I'm fueling I am activity
Springing forward willing yet with timidity
And though for the moment I am a measly stream
Of the vitality of the rapids I dream

I'm unique in this world I'm singularity
Yearning to contribute all my capacity
And though for the moment I am a clumsy stream
Of the proficiency of waterfalls I dream

I'm water and so I'm susceptibility
Turbulent volatile and lacking clarity
And though for the moment I am a muddy stream
Of the limpidity of the great lake I dream

I'm living evolving I'm mutability
Far from immaculate yet I have purity
And though for the moment I am a lowly stream
Of the nobility of the wide firth I dream

I'm growing and so I'm eventuality
Purposeful and patient I have tenacity
And though for the moment I am a petty stream
Of the immensity of the deep sea I dream

I'm carrying the seed of future victory
Faithfully I transport invincibility
And though for the moment I'm secondary stream
Of the infinity of the ocean I dream