poligraf - Spiritual Blogs - Ashtar Command - Spiritual Community2024-03-28T14:20:09Zhttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/poligrafLepufology Master Classhttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/lepufology-master-class2012-12-10T02:00:00.000Z2012-12-10T02:00:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/444px-michael_maier_atalanta_fugiens_emblem_45.jpg?w=444" alt="" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Michael_Maier_Atalanta_Fugiens_Emblem_45.jpeg">Emblem 45</a> » from <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Atalanta_Fugiens">Atalanta Fugiens</a> by <a href="http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Maier">Michael Maier</a>)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" id="audioplayer" height="24" width="290"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param></object></div><br /><p>The fifth and as of yet unwritten chapter is entitled « Lepufology Master Class : The Turnaround, » and is an account of the consequences of the success of the outworlders in their mission.<br /></p><p>After the exploitation of petroleum and the use of its by-products have been forced to an unexpected end, at first the governments of many of the world high income economies openly admit that they don’t quite know how to react as the oil prices skyrocket, business activities slow down, and industrial production plummets. After much reflecting and debating, it becomes clear that the way forward involves rethinking and reorganizing the management of energy toward sustainability and renewability on a global scale, and restructuring the world economies in alignment with these values.<br /></p><p>Unlike the other pieces composed for this project, « The Turnaround » is not intended as a soundtrack but rather as a rallying song, an anthem for progressives, activists, and everyone who is hoping to make this world a better place.<br /></p><p>The lyrics have not been completed at this time. Here's what's publishable :<br /></p><p><em>We are asking to live in a juster world<br /> We are asking to live in a freer world<br />We are asking to live in a greener world<br />We are asking to live in a better world<br /><br />We all deserve to live in a juster world<br />We all deserve to live in a freer world<br />We all deserve to live in a greener world<br />We all deserve to live in a better world</em><br /></p><p><em>We are bound by the time<br /> Earth isn't turning round<br />Inaction is a crime<br />One answer to be found<br />It's easy as the rhyme<br />We must turn things around<br />Do sing with us this time<br />I will turn things around !<br />Here comes the turnaround !</em><br /></p><div align="center">·</div><div style="font-size:x-small;border:1px solid #AAAAAA;">The Lepufology Project is the story of Jack Babbitt, regarded as one of the world’s most trustworthy investigators of the paranormal, whose unfaltering curiosity for the mysterious leads on an international chase seeking bizarre rabbits of extra-terrestrial origin that finds its resolution in the tar sands deposits of Alberta.</div></div>Lepufology 401https://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/lepufology-4012012-12-06T02:00:00.000Z2012-12-06T02:00:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/444px-wenceslas_hollar_-_the_hares_and_frogs_2-detail-colorized.jpg?w=444" alt="" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(Detail from « <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wenceslas_Hollar_-_The_hares_and_frogs_2.jpg">The hares and frogs</a> » by <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Wenzel_Hollar">Wenzel Hollar</a>)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object height="81" data="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpoligraf%2Flepufology-401-demo&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=bc7380" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpoligraf%2Flepufology-401-demo&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=bc7380" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" allowscriptaccess="never" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpoligraf%2Flepufology-401-demo&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=bc7380" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="81" allownetworking="internal"></embed> <param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param></object></div><br /><p>The fourth chapter of the series is entitled « Lepufology 401 : Responding To An Invasion. » Having accepted to collaborate with the outworlders, Jack flies back to Flatbush where he will have to guide a gigantic horde of alien rabbits to the tar sands fields of Athabasca.<br /></p><p>Here's the storyline :<br /> <br /></p><p><em>Jack is taken back to the shaft. He is surprised to see that the spacecraft is missing, and just as he turns to ask the interpreter she tells him that when he found the base in Flatbush, the team was almost ready to go ahead with the operation, and that the two outworlders who brought him over have returned to complete the preparations. While another spacecraft is conveyed onto the platform, she explains that they must act fast because they have enemies of their own who are trying to thwart their plans and who have recently tried to attack their farm in Flatbush with an airborne weapon which was countered at the last moment and redirected to crash near the border of the province. She gives him night-vision goggles, and a small communication device so that they can stay in contact should he have questions or run into unexpected situations.<br /> <br />Jack boards the vehicle and is told that its operation is mostly automated and that it will follow a preprogrammed route to Flatbush. He receives permission to lift off, pushes some controls, and the spacecraft slowly rises to the ground level and up over the field. As he flies away, he looks back and sees the platform closing the shaft and then taking the appearance of the surrounding land until it becomes undistinguishable. The vehicle picks up speed and Jack starts to reflect on the recent events as he gazes in awe at the sweeping landscape.<br /><br />When he arrives in Flatbush, the spacecraft heads to the location of the remains of the crop circle, and hovers there. A few instants later, just as the interpreter had told him before leaving, Jack hears an alert-type sound and sees some lights flashing on his dashboard. Part of the ground lowers underneath him and a spiral-shaped ramp lifts up from the bottom of the shaft to the ground level. Moments later, rabbits start emerging from the ramp and advancing in the field.<br /><br />Jack his astonished by the number of rabbits gathering below him. Yet the rabbits are just getting out of the shaft, and not moving out of the field. Jack doesn't quite know what to do and just as he grabs the communication device he hears the interpreter telling him that the rabbits are simply waiting for the vehicle to move, and that they will go wherever it goes. She adds that a route which the rabbits can follow has been preprogrammed, and that Jack is only there to make sure that everything works as planned.<br /><br />At her instruction, Jack pushes some controls and the spacecraft rotates towards the nearest road. It starts flying at a slow speed and the rabbits begin to move in its direction. Once it arrives over the road, the speed increases, and the rabbits start to race behind it. Jack is amazed at the speed at which the animals can run. He smiles and sits back as the spacecraft leads the rabbits to the Athabasca tar sands.<br /><br />As they move over the fields, the rabbits spread around and some of them start digging holes. Their number is astonishing and Jack has trouble believing what he sees. He his relieved as he witnesses the last rabbits arrive on location and disappear under the ground. He tells so to the interpreter who confirms that the Flatbush farm is now empty and that the two other hordes respectively targeting Peace River and Cold Lake have also reached their objective. She thanks him and concludes the communication by saying that he will be taken back to Flatbush where the spacecraft will land, and that his car has been fixed and is parked on the road next to the field.</em><br /></p><p>Epilogue :<br /></p><p><em>A few weeks later, news bulletins start emerging from many of the largest oil plants on the planet which are reporting production problems and as unexpected as inexplicable decreasing yields from proved reserves. Jack tries to find some news about the production in Alberta and learns that there are indeed reports of lowering production and never before observed decreases in the quality of the oil sands.<br /> <br />Soon after, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries announces production shutdowns and shortages, and are quickly followed by most of the other oil-producing countries. The governments of many of the world high income economies openly admit that they don't quite know how to react as the oil prices skyrocket, business activities slow down, and industrial production plummets.</em><br /></p><div align="center">·</div><div style="font-size:x-small;border:1px solid #AAAAAA;">The Lepufology Project is the story of Jack Babbitt, regarded as one of the world’s most trustworthy investigators of the paranormal, whose unfaltering curiosity for the mysterious leads on an international chase seeking bizarre rabbits of extra-terrestrial origin that finds its resolution in the tar sands deposits of Alberta.</div></div>Lepufology 301https://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/lepufology-3012012-12-03T01:30:00.000Z2012-12-03T01:30:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/444px-aerospaceplane.jpg?w=444" alt="" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aerospaceplane.jpg">Aerospaceplane</a> » by Unknown Artist)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object height="81" data="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpoligraf%2Flepufology-301-demo&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=a22004" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpoligraf%2Flepufology-301-demo&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=a22004" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" allowscriptaccess="never" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpoligraf%2Flepufology-301-demo&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=a22004" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="81" allownetworking="internal"></embed> <param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param></object></div><br /><p>The third chapter of the series is entitled « Lepufology 301 : Racing Spacecrafts. » This time, things get a little more complicated for Jack Babbitt as he gets abducted and taken into the alien headquarters in the Wiltshire, UK, where he discovers the purpose of the presence of intelligence from outer space on Earth.<br /></p><p>Here's the storyline :<br /> <br /></p><p><em>Jack is still driving, trying to escape from the rabbit farm in Flatbush. He looks in the rearview mirror and sees a small vehicle hovering in the distance behind him. Still terrified, he accelerates in the hopes of eluding it, but the spacecraft is gaining ground.<br /> <br />The airborne vehicle catches up with the car and manoeuvers so as to force Jack to leave the road and wreck his car in an empty field. He tries to get out of the car to run away, but two men get out of the spacecraft and grab him before he can get anywhere.<br /><br />He is taken inside the spacecraft which quickly lifts up and starts to fly at great speed. The abductors remain silent to Jack's oppositions and questions, but he can see outside and reckon that they're heading east as the sun is setting behind them. He recognizes one of the men as one of the pair he bumped into earlier. As they fly over the Canadian territory, Jack begins to think that he's probably being taken to his kidnappers headquarters, and he gets his confirmation soon after as the vehicle first reaches the Atlantic ocean and then the coast of Ireland. A few minutes later, Jack recognizes the somewhat familiar landscape of England in the night-time.<br /><br />Just as he had guessed, the spacecraft finally slows down as they approach the Wiltshire. It stops over Milk Hill, a place Jack knows particularly well for having investigated there a few years back. Much to his surprise, the vehicle lands at the exact location of one of the crop circles he had reported on.<br /><br />He hears a deep rumbling sound and the spacecraft starts to go down. He imagines that they have landed on a platform of some sort that's being lowered into the ground. And indeed, a few seconds later they hit the bottom of a deep shaft and stop moving.<br /><br />Jack is taken out of the vehicle and led to a meeting room where he is greeted by a woman who addresses him in English and introduces herself as an interpreter before presenting her colleagues.<br /><br />One of them starts to speak, and Jack turns to the woman as she starts translating. She first tells him that they don't have much time on their hands so they will have to go straight to the point. Jack then learns that they are a team of beings of extra-terrestrial origin who have come to Earth to correct a situation threatening the equilibrium of the planet, and thus also endangering the balance of the solar system which in turn could have unfortunate consequences on their own planetary system. The woman explains that the exploitation of petroleum and the use of its by-products has proven consistently dangerous throughout the galaxy, and can have disastrous effects on a planet, as is now the case on Earth. She tells Jack of the harm it causes to the ecology, animals, birds, humans beings, the atmosphere, that the situation is critical and that something must be done soon or life on Earth as humans know it could disappear. The interpreter concludes by saying that their plan is to eliminate the major reserves of oil on the planet so as to slow down and eventually stop the damages, and oblige mankind to look for safer sources of energy.<br /><br />Another woman speaks, and the outworlders start to leave the meeting room. The translator invites Jack to follow them. Just across the corridor, they enter a room which looks like a laboratory. Jack learns that the team has been sent here to bioengineer and breed vast quantities of super-rabbits with features that allow them to run extremely fast over many hundreds of kilometers, dig deep underground, see in the dark, devour hydrocarbons, digest them into unexploitable substances, and reproduce as needed until the reserves of petroleum on the planet are depleted. Once their task is completed, the underground rabbit colonies will disappear out of hunger. Jack is relieved by what he is being told and smiles as he makes sense of his recent findings.<br /><br />A man turns toward Jack and addresses him. The interpreter asks Jack if the team can count on his collaboration, and he accepts wholeheartedly. He is then told that he badly injured one of the observers when he ran out of the rabbit farm in Alberta, and that he must take his place. The woman explains that the targets of the operation in Flatbush are the tar sands, and that his duty will be to see that the rabbits are released and led to the deposits of Athabasca.</em><br /></p><div align="center">·</div><div style="font-size:x-small;border:1px solid #AAAAAA;">The Lepufology Project is the story of Jack Babbitt, regarded as one of the world’s most trustworthy investigators of the paranormal, whose unfaltering curiosity for the mysterious leads on an international chase seeking bizarre rabbits of extra-terrestrial origin that finds its resolution in the tar sands deposits of Alberta.</div></div>Lepufology 201https://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/lepufology-2012012-11-29T01:30:00.000Z2012-11-29T01:30:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/444px-conejo-svg.png?w=444" alt="" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Conejo.svg">Conejo</a> » by <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Ecelan">Ecelan</a>)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object height="81" data="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpoligraf%2Flepufology-201-demo&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=23b1d4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpoligraf%2Flepufology-201-demo&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=23b1d4" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" allowscriptaccess="never" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpoligraf%2Flepufology-201-demo&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=23b1d4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="81" allownetworking="internal"></embed> <param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param></object></div><br /><p>In the second episode, entitled « Lepufology 201 : Investigating Burrows, » we follow our good friend Jack in Flatbush, Alberta, to investigate reports of strange occurrences. Here's the storyline :<br /> <br /></p><p><em>A few days later, Jack is at home, and as usual he's working in his office, completing his report on the British rabbit case. He receives a call from a photographer located in Alberta, Canada, telling him that there have been reports of strange looking rabbits with long legs and weird eyes near Flatbush, not far from a recently discovered crop formation.<br /> <br />Jack is again very excited and packs his stuff, getting ready for a 20-hour drive north of the border. He gets into his car and starts driving.<br /><br />He arrives in Edmonton where he is greeted by the photographer who gives him more detailed accounts of the observations, and tells him about a fireball flying over Edmonton and falling near Lloydminster close to the border of Saskatchewan just the night before Jack's arrival. She shows him the location on a map in case he wants to stop there, and also gives him the name and phone number of a farmer and amateur pilot living in the Flatbush region who will gladly take Jack on his small plane should he want to see the location of the crop circle from above.<br /><br />Jack gets in his car and drives to the pilot's home, where he is taken for a short flight over the remains of the crop formation. While in the air and taking photos, Jack notices patterns of strange cavities in the ground near the emplacement. After landing and thanking his helper, Jack returns to the field in his car to investigate the location.<br /><br />He munches a quick evening meal while looking at the remains of the crop circle, and then starts locating the cavities, which he finds almost immediately. Taking a closer look at them he sees that they appear to lead down to an underground cave. He tries to enter one of the less narrow openings hoping to climb down to the cave underneath, but misses his footing, slips down, and falls to the bottom.<br /><br />Jack is shaken but not injured, and finds himself much lower than he first thought in what looks like an underground network of tunnel and caves. As there is some light entering by the cavities above him, he can see and walk around. He is surprised by the size of the subterranean formation. His surprise is replaced by amazement when he sees that some of the tunnels have been furnished with lighting !<br /><br />He keeps walking in what looks like the main tunnel, until he reaches an immense room which appear to be a huge rabbit farming operation operated by robots, machines, and computers. He is filled with terror, but his curiosity is stronger and he walks to the nearest rabbit to examine it from up close. Jack is not surprised to see that the animal looks just like the one that was found in Christchurch. He carefully opens its mouth to check its teeth, and, just as he thought, finds that the rabbit has two extra incisors.<br /><br />He resumes his exploration and finds a cave that looks like it's being used as a meeting room. He sees documents on a table, and lists, photos, and charts on the walls. He recognizes some crop circle patterns on one of the charts. He sees a map of Alberta marked with symbols in various location including Flatbush, notices that three regions near Athabasca, Peace River, and Cold Lake have been outlined, and that there's a mark near the border of Saskatchewan matching the spot where the fireball has crashed down. He also finds a map of United Kingdom loaded with marks, including two near Christchurch, and many in the Wiltshire area amongst which is the biggest symbol on the whole map. He recalls his recent investigations and the links between them start to form in his mind. He remembers being told about the two crop circles near Christchurch, and that a great number of such formations have been observed in the Wiltshire in the recent years, some of them he has investigated himself. He figures that the big symbol must indicate the location of something really important, probably the headquarters of the whole operation, and that he must return back there to investigate further.<br /><br />His reflections are interrupted by what sounds like an alert signal coming from outside the room. He looks out and sees two men wearing uniforms walking in his direction. They see Jack and call him in a language that he can't recognize. He's filled with fear, and starts running towards them as they stand between him and the entrance of the underground complex. He bumps into them and keeps running until he reaches the spot where he came in from. He climbs back up and out of the cavity without ever looking behind him, and then rushes to his car, jumps in and drives away as fast as he can.</em><br /></p><div align="center">·</div><div style="font-size:x-small;border:1px solid #AAAAAA;">The Lepufology Project is the story of Jack Babbitt, regarded as one of the world’s most trustworthy investigators of the paranormal, whose unfaltering curiosity for the mysterious leads on an international chase seeking bizarre rabbits of extra-terrestrial origin that finds its resolution in the tar sands deposits of Alberta.</div></div>Lepufology 101https://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/lepufology-1012012-11-26T01:30:00.000Z2012-11-26T01:30:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/lepus001.jpg" alt="" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« Watching The Arrival Of The Mothership » by Mark Brumfield)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object height="81" data="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpoligraf%2Flepufology-101-demo&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=23043d" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpoligraf%2Flepufology-101-demo&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=23043d" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" allowscriptaccess="never" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpoligraf%2Flepufology-101-demo&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=23043d" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="81" allownetworking="internal"></embed> <param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param></object></div><br /><p>The Lepufology Project started as an instrumental composition meant as a tribute to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Anton_Wilson" target="_blank">Robert Anton Wilson</a>'s book « <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_Psychology" target="_blank"><em>Quantum Psychology</em></a> » in which he coins the word <em>lepufology</em> to refer to the study of rabbit-related UFO encounters.<br /></p><p>As the composition was intended from the onset to remain instrumental, I decided to write a basic synopsis, more a list of scenes actually, in order to give the piece direction and structure :<br /></p><p><em><br /> 1. Alert ! Possible Alien Leporids Spotted In The UK<br />2. Pre-Trip Frenzy<br />3. Cab Ride To The Airport<br />4. Uneventful Flight Over The Atlantic<br />5. From Heathrow To The Discovery Scene<br />6. Identification - The Formula Is 3.0.3.3 + 1.0.2.3<br />7. Back To The Airport<br />8. Mild Turbulence Over The Atlantic<br />9. Finally Home</em><br /></p><p>From that starting point, the work progressed and I quickly found myself developing the story further and further until I finally ended up with a short story in four chapters, along with the music to go with it.<br /></p><p>So, The Lepufology Project is also the story of Jack Babbitt, regarded as one of the world’s most trustworthy investigators of the paranormal, and whose unfaltering curiosity for the mysterious leads on an international chase seeking bizarre rabbits of extra-terrestrial origin that finds its resolution in the tar sands deposits of Alberta.<br /></p><p>« Lepufology 101 » is the first episode of Jack's adventures, and its full title is really « Lepufology 101 - Identifying Alien Leporids. » Leporids are the approximately 50 species of rabbits and hares which form the family Leporidae.<br /> <br /></p><p><em>Jack is at home in New Hope, Minnesota, working in his office. He is filing documents and writing his observations relative to a crop circle investigation near Fosston, about 450 km northwest from where he lives, that he completed the day before. He receives an email from a British friend located in Brighton informing him that somebody has found a very strange looking and unusually-long-legged dead rabbit near the town of Christchurch, in the Dorset area.<br /> <br />As he has been aware of reports of such creatures lately, which are deemed to be of extra-terrestrial origin, he is very excited by the prospect and packs his stuff as quickly as possible so as not to miss the next flight to the United Kingdom.<br /><br />He takes a cab to the nearby Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport. He has to rush to catch the plane, but finally makes it on time.<br /><br />Over the course of the flight, Jack works on his laptop, revisiting old reports of rabbit-related cases.<br /><br />He lands at Heathrow where his friend waits for him. He gets into his car and they drive to Christchurch. While driving, his friend tells him more about the circumstances of the discovery.<br /><br />They arrive at the scene. Jack starts looking around and takes photos. He is shown the dead creature. He takes more photos, put gloves on, and examine the animal. He notices the size of the rabbit’s legs and that its eyes have a weird shape, but it’s nothing new for him as he had already read about those characteristics in earlier reports. He further inspects the carcass until something odd strikes him : the rabbit appears to have extra teeth. He puts the body in a bag and takes a last look at the scene before returning to the car. He fires up his laptop and starts searching for more information, until he finds what he wanted : the dental formula of the dead rabbit is different from that of most leporids found on Earth, as this one has two more incisors than normal. He feels he’s onto something, smiles, and shares his discovery with his friend.<br /><br />They put Jack’s stuff into the car, and they drive back to the airport. While driving his friend reminds Jack that crop circles have been observed near Christchurch in the past, one near Ripley in April 2005, and one near Waterditch Farm in June 2006. Jack recalls those events as several of his past investigations involved crop circles in England.<br /><br />Jack leaves his friend at the airport and boards the next plane back home. During the flight, Jack resumes his work on the case, writing his observations. The feeling that he has found something significant deepens, and he reviews the reports of rabbit-related incidents, this time with more attention.<br /><br />Jack leaves the airport in a cab, rides home, and goes straight to his office where he unpacks and resumes working.</em> <br /><br /></p><p>As a side note, the impression I was under when reading the neologism was that it's only a fictional discipline created by Wilson as a way to demonstrate the power of words in stimulating the imagination. Or maybe there are lepufologists out there, who knows really.</p></div>Stonecutterhttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/stonecutter2012-09-24T22:00:00.000Z2012-09-24T22:00:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/444px-quarryman_1833-detail.jpg?w=444" alt="" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(Detail from «<a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Quarryman_1833.jpg">Quarryman at work</a> » by Unidentified Artist)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object height="81" data="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F55361&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=2f2f2f" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F55361&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=2f2f2f" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" allowscriptaccess="never" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F55361&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=2f2f2f" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="81" allownetworking="internal"></embed> <param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param></object></div><br /><p>« Stonecutter » is intended as an anthem to perseverance and is based on one of my favourite citations, one which has helped me on several occasions, the following <a href="http://www.quotes.net/quote/16935">quote</a> by<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Riis">Jacob August Riis</a> :<br /></p><blockquote><em>When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before.</em></blockquote><br /><p>The main challenge of this composition was to have exactly 101 hits on the snare drum, with the 101st corresponding to the climax, the hammer hitting the rock one last time to split it in two. <br /></p><p>The piece is an instrumental, to which I have written the following verses : <br /><em>Don't mind me stone worker as I sit to watch you<br />There's a rock of a kind I need to cut in two<br />And I strain and I strive but when nothing will do<br />I come here to witness how it's going for you</em><br /><em>Strike the stone sledgehammer in your tenacity<br />There's beauty to behold and much courage to see<br />Smash your rock stonecutter in your self-confidence<br />There is strength to be gained and much reassurance</em><br /><em>It's not as if you were stronger than I can be<br />Your own rock shows no cracks though you keep bashing it<br />No it's more in the way that it appears to me<br />As if you know no doubt that monolith will split</em><br /><em>Nail your test sledgehammer for your dedication<br />I have praise to offer and much admiration<br />Boom your block stonecutter sing your faith with that sound<br />It's the music one hears when this gem they have found</em><br /><em>As the maul pounds the stone you are expressionless<br />Just focused on your goal in all seriousness<br />And when you deliver the bang that gets the win<br />On your face there's a grin as mineral gives in</em><br /><em>Crush your foe sledgehammer know your mercilessness<br />Brings a warmth to my heart that melts all hopelessness<br />Hit your aim stonecutter in your decisiveness<br />There's a light shining bright that dispels all darkness</em><br /><em>And although that last blow seems the critical one<br />It was no more crucial than any heretofore<br />No it was over time that this challenge was won<br />This outcome the feat of all that has gone before</em></p></div>Come Backhttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/come-back2012-09-13T15:30:00.000Z2012-09-13T15:30:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/444px-magnetic_field_of_bar_magnets_attracting.png?w=444" alt="" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Magnetic_field_of_bar_magnets_attracting.png">Magnetic field of two bar magnets with unlike poles</a> » by Alexander Wilmer Duff)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object width="290" height="24" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" id="audioplayer" width="290" height="24" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" flashvars="playerID=audioplayer&soundFile=http://k002.kiwi6.com/uploads/hotlink/so8na8r58u&titles=poligraf.comeback.v13.mp3" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div><p></p><p>« Come Back » dates back to the epoch of The Fall Children, the band that was supposed to be but never really was, and whose unexpected but timely demise cleared the space which Poligraf needed to come into being.</p><p>This is an enigmatic piece for me as both music and lyrics have been reworked and reorganized many times over the years, yet I’m never completely satisfied with the end results, which is kind of strange for a piece which is basically a simple song with an extended instrumental ending (as opposed to a lengthy suite for instance). That being said, as it stands now, I find the music convincing, except for the choruses which need an arrangement.</p><p>The song depicts the circumstances of a person hoping to reunite with a long-lost loved one. I'm currently working on lyrics with a view of including the piece on Poligraf's third full-length album tentatively entitled « Zen and the Art of Navigating the Cosmos. » Therefore, I'm trying to tell the story from the point of view of someone who uses their own feelings and visions along with traditional divinatory tools (such as astrology and tarot) in order to reach the desired future, pretty much as a pilot would use their instruments to reach their destination. Hopefully this new angle will provide enough inspiration to bring the piece to a satisfactory completion.</p><p>Here are parts of this work in progress : <br /> <br /> <br /> <em>Walking at night through the city<br /> Miles away from your stare<br /> Absorbed in memories of you<br /> No distance I can't bear<br /> <br /> My Evening Star for you I long<br /> This love knows no delay<br /> Dark of the moon, the feeling's strong<br /> To be with you I pray<br /> <br /> Still have this flame burning inside<br /> Bright as the light of day<br /> Lately the signs have multiplied<br /> Hope tomorrow's the day<br /> <br /> How time flew by, yet in hindsight<br /> Few beats did not belong<br /> My mind never figured I could<br /> My heart knew all along<br /></em></p></div>Creeper (part 2)https://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/creeper-part-22012-09-06T18:00:00.000Z2012-09-06T18:00:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/444px-ryogen1.jpg?w=444" alt="" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ryogen1.JPG">Two portraits of Ryogen</a> » - Author Unknown [Copyright Holder is Kiemon Tsuruya])</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object width="290" height="24" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" id="audioplayer" width="290" height="24" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" flashvars="playerID=audioplayer&soundFile=http://k005.kiwi6.com/uploads/hotlink/i8td05f6r1&titles=poligraf.creeper.2008.clip.2.mp3" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div><p></p><p>« Creeper » is an allegory wherein destructive mental processes are compared to creeping plants. It depicts a confrontation between creeper and host in four stages : introduction, growth, conquest, and extinction.</p><p>Although the piece was not constructed as a suite, but rather as one long song, I present it here in two parts. The second part comprises the main instrumental section, the bridge, and the finale. This corresponds to the stages of conquest and extinction of the sabotaging parasitical vine.</p><p>Having won the final confrontation, the host confirms their triumph by revealing the modus operandi and nature of his opponent : <br /> <br /> <br /> <em>Paradise awaiting / Because your constant voice<br /> (All your doom scenarios never come to pass)<br /> Always analyzing / Undermines every choice<br /> (Expected catastrophes never come to life)<br /> <br /> Creeper now I can see / You sabotage my dream<br /> (All your doom scenarios never come to pass)<br /> Yet share its quality / Thus ends your little scheme<br /> (Expected catastrophes never come to life)</em><br /></p><p>While the lead singer plays the part of the host, the backing vocalists repeat a victorious mantra.</p><p>The plant then makes a few attempts to rise from its ashes, but all are short-lived as they are rapidly recognized and subdued by the conqueror.</p></div>Creeper (part 1)https://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/creeper-part-12012-08-30T18:00:00.000Z2012-08-30T18:00:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/444px-black_and_white_branch.jpg?w=444" alt="" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Black_and_white_branch.jpg">Climbing Plant</a> » by <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Popperipopp">Popperipopp</a>)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object width="290" height="24" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" id="audioplayer" width="290" height="24" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" flashvars="playerID=audioplayer&soundFile=http://k005.kiwi6.com/uploads/hotlink/52l6k64dl5&titles=poligraf.creeper.2008.clip.1.mp3" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div><p></p><p>« Creeper » is directly inspired by the following aphorism from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammapada">Dhammapada</a> :</p><blockquote style="font-style:italic;">The streams flow everywhere; the creeper, having sprung up, becomes established. When you see that creeper sprout, sever its root by intense insight. – (XXIV. Craving, #7)</blockquote><p>and its accompanying translator's note :</p><blockquote style="font-style:italic;">The « creeper » is insidious suggestion, rooted in ignorance and craving, developing into bondage, aggression, and folly. To sever it the moment it sprouts is what the Tao Te Ching refers to as doing what is difficult when it is still easy. This is the purpose of vigilance, so highly recommended by Buddha.</blockquote><p>The composition forms an allegory wherein destructive mental processes are compared to creeping plants, and depicts a confrontation between creeper and host in four stages : introduction, growth, conquest, and extinction.</p><p>Although the piece was not constructed as a suite, but rather as one long song, I present it here in two parts. The first part comprises the introduction and verses, which correspond to the first two stages.</p><p>As the lyrics suggest, the creeper represents worry, negativity, or doubt, which are generally rooted in ignorance or craving, and can act as magnets to undesirable and weird experiences when pursued intently. <br /> <br /> <em>Insidious suggestion<br /> Difficult to contain<br /> Tendency to worry<br /> Threatening to bloom in pain<br /> <br /> Stemming up from a doubt<br /> Burgeoning from a no<br /> Better sever the sprout<br /> Or a vine could follow<br /> <br /> Creative energy – Unleashed upon itself<br /> Subtle adversary – Not yet under control<br /> Creative energy – Cynical of itself<br /> Unforeseen enemy - Between here and the goal<br /> <br /> Coming back from the past<br /> Sinister memory<br /> Craving for attention<br /> The voice of gravity<br /> <br /> Surely as it will rise<br /> Before long, paralyse<br /> Surely as it will grow<br /> In a spiral, down you go<br /> <br /> Creative energy – Unleashed upon itself<br /> Subtle adversary – Not yet under control<br /> Creative energy – Cynical of itself<br /> Unforeseen enemy – Between here and the goal</em></p></div>SubjeKctivhttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/subjekctiv2012-08-16T17:30:00.000Z2012-08-16T17:30:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/subjekctiv-444.png?w=444" alt="" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« SubjeKctiv » by Christopher Stewart)</span></p><div align="center"><object width="290" height="24" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" id="audioplayer" width="290" height="24" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" flashvars="playerID=audioplayer&soundFile=http://k005.kiwi6.com/uploads/hotlink/5wvre0atys&titles=poligraf.subjekctiv.192.mp3" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div><p></p><p>« SubjeKctiv » was put together in July 2004 for « The 2004 ProjeKction Music ProjeKct. » Participants were invited to submit music that included at least one of the many audio clips provided by the project initiator, <a href="http://www.projekction.net/">ProjeKction</a>'s Darren Lock. An album with all the submissions is still available for free download <a href="http://www.projekction.net/p_2004/">here</a>.<br /></p><p>The title comes from the recognition of subjectivity as a fundamental principle of human experience. Thus, the piece can function as a reminder that experience is subjective.</p><p>Here is poetry complementary to this instrumental composition : <br /> <br /> <em><br /> Continuous unfolding from origins own<br /> No one else can ever stem from where I was sown<br /> On the way of knowing the meaning of to be<br /> Through this peculiar individuality<br /> <br /> Determining choices shape my trajectory<br /> No one else can ever see the vistas I see<br /> On the way of knowing my true identity<br /> The road unparalleled of a peerless journey<br /> <br /> Significance of seen is function of seer<br /> Yet the sum of observed impacts on observer<br /> How can one ever be identical to me<br /> Singular history mindset uniquity<br /> <br /> Similar events in dissimilar order<br /> Emphasize attitude and ascertain nature<br /> Polarize opinion and viewing preference<br /> My settings and options don't fit your sentience<br /> <br /> Networks of experiences for living browsers<br /> Oceans of perceptions human navigators<br /> Relying on beacons can only lead so far<br /> Time comes when there's no choice but trust inner radar<br /> <br /> He and she in a crowd hear attraction loudly<br /> You and me have no clue but they feel it strongly<br /> Their eyes had never met until this now moment<br /> Of all gathered only two know the sentiment<br /> <br /> Even that which is shared is viewed differently<br /> Often there's no choice but agree to disagree<br /> For some hell is found in another's paradise<br /> And sincere happiness in another's demise<br /> <br /> Unaware of the roles we play for each other<br /> And how what we convey is not what we utter<br /> It's a marvel we can communicate at all<br /> That some differences are more magnet than wall<br /> <br /> Though objects look the same meanings are exclusive<br /> Our worlds are matchless but they're coextensive<br /> A miracle of overlapping symmetry<br /> A formidable sensory thaumaturgy<br /> <br /> Navigate the six streams oceanic master<br /> And abide the torrents until there's no error<br /> If you run out of steam let the flow carry you<br /> If you run out of dreams I have plenty for two<br /> <br /> To keep an open mind is feat of great merit<br /> Guard what you have garnered but do not cling to it<br /> Please provide what I miss I'll return the favor<br /> Each of us here to learn better share the labor<br /> <br /> Though it may not seem much you have to play your part<br /> For we require it to draw a better chart<br /> Of this expanding space and time continuum<br /> All of us here in this enlightenarium</em><br /> <br /></p><p>The piece kept on evolving along the years, gaining a bridge with a brilliant solo that pushed the whole to new heights. This is Poligraf performing it live at La Ninkasi du Faubourg on May 16, 2008 :</p><div align="center"><object width="425" height="344" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/4LpdjtKkTNg&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="false" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4LpdjtKkTNg&hl=en_US&fs=1" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" width="425" height="344" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4LpdjtKkTNg&hl=en_US&fs=1" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div></div>Upward (The Idler part 3)https://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/upward-the-idler-part-32012-07-11T22:00:00.000Z2012-07-11T22:00:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/444px-anastasiya_markovich_effect_of_butterfly.jpg?w=444" alt="" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anastasiya_Markovich_Effect_of_Butterfly.jpg">Effect of Butterfly</a> » by Anastasiya Markovich)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object width="290" height="24" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" id="audioplayer" width="290" height="24" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" flashvars="playerID=audioplayer&soundFile=http://k005.kiwi6.com/uploads/hotlink/dd5lnw2alr&titles=poligraf.the.idler.2007.part3.mp3" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div><p></p><p>The third part of « The Idler » is entitled « Upward. »</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>There are no vocals in his section. Here's the associated poetry : <br /> <br /> <em>I only have myself to blame<br /> As the mirror reflects my shame<br /> I've seen the past and it was lame<br /> Yet it defined a better aim<br /> <br /> Walked on and on along this route<br /> I know the place inside and out<br /> So long a time spent in circles<br /> I know by heart all the cycles<br /> <br /> Exhausted of repetition<br /> I'm ready for evolution<br /> I recognize elevation<br /> Essential to perennation<br /> <br /> Pick me the flower yet ungrown<br /> Map me the location unknown<br /> <br /> Tell me the joke that's not absurd<br /> Build me the floor undiscovered<br /> <br /> Lead me up steps I never took<br /> Fry me the fish I'll never hook<br /> <br /> Reveal the cards as yet undealt<br /> Evoke the sentiment unfelt<br /> <br /> Write me the story yet untold<br /> Warp me in time yet to unfold<br /> <br /> Push me further than my intent<br /> Touch me farther than my extent<br /> <br /> Sanctify sinner yet absolved<br /> Ask me the riddle left unsolved<br /> <br /> Draw me the shadow of a doubt<br /> Situate me outside of out<br /> <br /> Tailor the skin that's yet unshed<br /> Summon the spirit yet undead<br /> <br /> Revive the man who never died<br /> Mix me the color never eyed<br /> <br /> Paint me the canvas yet unframed<br /> Attain the goal yet to be aimed<br /> <br /> Grant me the reward yet unearned<br /> Teach me the lesson yet unlearned<br /> <br /> Upward bent and forward headed<br /> Purposeful until upgraded<br /> Unending magic carpet ride<br /> On winds of change unfazed I glide<br /></em> <br /></p><p>And here’s what it sounds like when we perform it. Again, the live version is very different from the working version :</p><div align="center"><object width="425" height="344" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/ucEof-wTgDw&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="false" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ucEof-wTgDw&hl=en_US&fs=1" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" width="425" height="344" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ucEof-wTgDw&hl=en_US&fs=1" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div></div>Sooner Or Later (revisited - with poetry)https://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/sooner-or-later-revisited-with-poetry2012-07-08T03:28:57.000Z2012-07-08T03:28:57.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/poligrafmultiacnylon320.jpg" alt="poligrafmultiacnylon320.jpg" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/poligraf/533813459/in/set-724774/" target="_blank">Multiac Nylon</a> » by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/poligraf/" target="_blank">poligraf</a>)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" id="audioplayer" height="24" width="290"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param></object></div><br /><p>« 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.<br /></p><p>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.<br /></p><p>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.<br /></p><p>Here's the poetry that I composed for this instrumental :<br /></p><p><em>say do you remember<br /> when you renounced your throne<br />time had come to gather<br />the fruits that you had sown<br /><br />couldn't stand no longer<br />circumstances outgrown<br />nor could future further<br />unconsciously postpone<br /><br />true love is forever<br />and you had always known<br />that sooner or later<br />that road would be your own<br /><br />setting out to conquer<br />noble the enterprise<br />chariot of fire<br />you hero on the rise<br /><br />driven by the hunger<br />and the smile in those eyes<br />sometimes lows would deter<br />but you thrived on the highs<br /><br />tipped off by the spider<br />rewarded by the flies<br />shooting star of ardour<br />serendipitous skies<br /><br />angelic caretaker<br />inspired you to surmise<br />that sooner or later<br />you would obtain the prize<br /><br />once blindfolded juggler<br />one hand behind your back<br />willing to consider<br />one more torch in the stack<br /><br />consummate plate spinner<br />you always had the knack<br />to wow the onlooker<br />while avoiding the wrack<br /><br />but that challenge greater<br />had you taken aback<br />fearful of disaster<br />prone to panic attack<br /><br />tyro wire walker<br />trembling above the pack<br />left with daily wonder<br />why life cut you no slack<br /><br />would it have been clearer<br />written in white on black<br />that sooner or later<br />your step would miss the track<br /><br />witnessing in horror<br />your creation finespun<br />destroyed in a quarter<br />the dream had come undone<br /><br />down under the weather<br />by your guilt overrun<br />dark clouds of dishonour<br />were obscuring the sun<br /><br />but life wasn't over<br />though the event did stun<br />and still your endeavour<br />could be a fruitful one<br /><br />had you known your labour<br />was meant for the long run<br />much sooner than later<br />your quest would have begun<br /><br />as hope touched your shoulder<br />you lifted up your chin<br />finding back your valour<br />you recovered your grin<br /><br />and against your fervour<br />you knew walls would give in<br />and sooner or later<br />that you couldn't but win<br /><br />looking back together<br />and enjoying the view<br />pray this question answer<br />tell me you always knew<br /><br />was it any wonder<br />that it had to be you<br />that sooner or later<br />you would be set free too</em></p></div>Chronoscope (The Idler part 2)https://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/chronoscope-the-idler-part-22012-07-04T21:30:00.000Z2012-07-04T21:30:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/444px-watch_automatic_mainspring.jpg?w=444" alt="" /> <br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Watch_automatic_mainspring.jpg">Mainspring on a Sea-Gull ST16 movement</a> » by Hustvedt)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object width="290" height="24" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" id="audioplayer" width="290" height="24" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" flashvars="playerID=audioplayer&soundFile=http://k005.kiwi6.com/uploads/hotlink/2zwkassh7o&titles=poligraf.the.idler.2007.part2.mp3" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div><p></p><p>« 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 : <br /> <br /> <em><br /> - Idler tell me, do you feel free?<br /> - Idler’s not free, clock ticks for me<br /> <br /> - Idler tell me, are you sorry?<br /> - Idler’s sorry, clock ticks for me<br /> <br /> God have mercy, clock ticks for me<br /> Why do I keep repeating the same old I ?<br /></em> <br /></p><p>The music is essentially composed of simple, repetitive parts, and the intention here is to evoke the pieces of a clockwork mechanism.</p><p>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.</p><div align="center"><object width="425" height="344" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/X7tUVZ0La1U&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="false" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/X7tUVZ0La1U&hl=en_US&fs=1" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" width="425" height="344" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/X7tUVZ0La1U&hl=en_US&fs=1" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div></div>Purposefulnesshttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/perseverance2012-06-28T05:30:00.000Z2012-06-28T05:30:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/444px-dance_of_fire.jpg?w=444" alt="" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dance_of_Fire.JPG">Dance Of Fire</a> » by SarThePhotographer)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object width="290" height="24" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" id="audioplayer" width="290" height="24" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" flashvars="playerID=audioplayer&soundFile=http://k003.kiwi6.com/uploads/hotlink/fnibn627f8" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div><p></p><p>« 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.</p><p>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.</p><p>The demo is all instrumental. Here's the accompanying poetry : <br /> <br /> <em><br /> is the aim too lofty<br /> is the mountain too high<br /> the riddle too knotty<br /> or the desert too dry<br /> <br /> how can it be enough<br /> if the goal is so near<br /> how can it be too tough<br /> if the prize is so dear<br /> <br /> how can it be too late<br /> if there is still some life<br /> why stop at the last gate<br /> when the roads are so rife<br /> <br /> <br /> in your going forward<br /> even against the stream<br /> never become deterred<br /> hold on tight to the dream<br /> <br /> just keep ploughing ahead<br /> be wary when crossing<br /> the marshes of the dead<br /> maintain your flame burning<br /> <br /> no point in lingering<br /> avoid meandering<br /> the path is unfolding<br /> keep that engine running<br /> <br /> know that the inception<br /> was not a deception<br /> but an intimation<br /> of the destination<br /> <br /> inside still shines the way<br /> bright as the light of day<br /> no reward in dismay<br /> no time to go astray<br /> <br /> whatever the question<br /> no matter the duress<br /> you'll find the solution<br /> in your purposefulness<br /></em></p></div>In The Taste Of The Day (The Idler part 1)https://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/in-the-taste-of-the-day-the-idler-part-12012-06-27T21:30:00.000Z2012-06-27T21:30:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/the_idler_upward_butterfly_painting320.png" alt="the_idler_upward_butterfly_painting320.png" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(detail from one of my old kindergarten paintings)</span></p><div align="center"><object height="81" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpoligraf%2Fin-the-taste-of-the-day-demo&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=be1b1b" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpoligraf%2Fin-the-taste-of-the-day-demo&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=be1b1b" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" height="81" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpoligraf%2Fin-the-taste-of-the-day-demo&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=be1b1b" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div><p></p><p>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.</p><blockquote>« <i>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.</i> » – The Dhammapada</blockquote><p>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 :</p><blockquote>« <i>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.</i> – C.G. Jung »</blockquote><p>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.</p><p>The first part of this suite in three chapters is entitled « In The Taste Of The Day. » Here are the lyrics : <br /> <br /> <br /> <em><br /> « I don’t have the time » is the lie<br /> I will not believe<br /> Coming from you the alibi<br /> Will not deceive<br /> <br /> « I have no control over it »<br /> I will not allow<br /> As objection to disbelief<br /> <br /> « I just can’t change » is this hell<br /> You just don’t leave<br /> While heaven is ignored you’ll keep<br /> Facing the heat<br /> <br /> Until this point you will admit<br /> I will uphold my aim<br /> You let your own inertia<br /> Ignite the flame<br /> <br /> Distract yourself in the tasks of the day<br /> Don’t lie I know you’re only idling<br /> Divert yourself in the taste of the day<br /> You know I know you are only hiding<br /> <br /> Angels timely sent<br /> Keep getting lost in the noise that is maze<br /> Blind to dreams even deaf to body<br /> Fate is left to the hands of the clock</em></p></div>The Winged Lifehttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/the-winged-life2012-06-04T04:00:00.000Z2012-06-04T04:00:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/444px-redon_winged-man.jpg?w=444" alt="444px-redon_winged-man.jpg?w=444" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Redon_winged-man.jpg">The Winged Man</a> » by Odilon Redon)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" id="audioplayer" height="24" width="290"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param></object></div><br /><p>« The Winged Life » takes its name from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Blake" target="_blank">William Blake</a>'s poem « Eternity » :<br /></p><blockquote><em><br /> He who binds himself to a joy<br />Does the winged life destroy<br />But he who kisses the joy as it flies<br />Lives in eternity's sunrise<br /></em></blockquote><br /><p>This piece is a singularity as far as the poligrafic repertoire is concerned. I didn't aim for innovation or cleverness as I often do because I felt that the best way to let the message through was to keep the music simple. Thus, the composition is about four minutes long and stays within a fairly standard structure.<br /></p><p>The song starts in a negative, finger-pointing, minor mode, and progressively evolves to a positive, hope-fostering mood. It ends on a reprise of the instrumental section, harmonized to an uplifting variation of the original minor chord progression.<br /></p><p>The lyrics have been slightly reworked since the original publication. They have been stepped up from the « <em>almost done yet still tentative</em> » status to the « <em>nearly complete yet there is still time to find even better</em> » status.<br /></p><p><em><br /> I remember quite well<br />Seems not so long ago<br />You had to face a choice<br />At last you had your chance to grow<br /><br />You said you would I can recall<br />Your mind made up, you couldn't fall<br />But when came time to break the news<br />Who could deny you were confused ?<br /><br />Heartbreak and time alone<br />Letting the dust settle<br />Anxiety built up<br />Pressure that you could not handle<br /><br />Spitting your flames, playing your games<br />Never taking part of the blames<br />And after all this much abuse<br />Who could deny there was no use — in going on ?<br /><br />Because you didn’t believe in us<br />You're not part of the team — oh believe that<br />Because you didn't hear faith but fear<br />You’re not part of the dream<br /><br />We have wings, when we refuse to cry<br />We have wings, when we refuse to lie<br />We have wings, none of us can deny<br />We have wings, why be afraid to fly ?<br /><br />Believe, you have to believe in us<br />Play your part in the team — oh believe<br />Believe, you have to hear faith, don't fear<br />Be your part of the dream<br /><br />We have wings, when we refuse to die<br />We have wings, when we stand up and try<br />Trust your wings, and stop to ask why<br />You have wings — just jump up and fly !<br /></em></p></div>Voidhttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/void2012-05-21T05:00:00.000Z2012-05-21T05:00:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/444px-primeval-center.jpg?w=444" alt="" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« Primeval Center » by Christopher Stewart)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" id="audioplayer" height="24" width="290"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param></object></div><br /><p>On a background of Wall Street Bailouts and Large Hadron Colliders, « Void » paints sunyata, the Buddhist concept of emptiness.<br /></p><p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emptiness#Buddhism">From Wikipedia</a> :<br /></p><p style="margin-left:32px;font-style:italic;">In Buddhism, the realization of emptiness of inherent existence is a “state of pure consciousness” in which the practitioner realizes all particular objects and images to be appearances of the subjective mind.<br /></p><p>The song is made up of twelve short verses, one longer vocal interlude, and no chorus. The vocal sections are tied together with short instrumental passages and one longer instrumental bridge.<br /></p><p>While most of the lyrics attempt to highlight the failings of fundamental materialism, the last four verses focus on the realization of the state of consciousness wherein objects are seen for what they truly are.<br /></p><p><em><br /> Down ! In the here and the now<br />Fell flat on the face<br />Cheated by reason<br />Desolate in space<br /><br />Pondering matter<br />Getting to the core<br />Couldn't find any<br />Deep reality<br /><br />Drown ! Committing the fault<br />Non-finality<br />Colliding hadrons<br />Just add variety<br /><br />Trying to manifest<br />Out of vacuity<br />Root unbreakable ?<br />Who thinks magically !<br /><br />Crash ! Banks are in the red<br />Wall Street in a slump<br />Who's bailing them out ?<br />Ripped off at the pump !<br /><br />Trying to manifest<br />Out of vacuity<br />Wealth unlimited ?<br />Who thinks magically !<br /><br />Null ! Nobody-zero<br />Fundamentally<br />Materialism fails<br />To set people free<br /><br />Universe of words<br />Walls of mentation<br />Discriminating<br />Occult liberation<br /><br />Reasonable as they may seem<br />When clung to will all theory<br />Serve to send the good intended<br />Down into Yama's abode<br /><br />Up, to the neck in the void<br />No more artifice<br />Stopped being schizoid<br />Found no precipice<br /><br />Emptiness in all<br />All in everything<br />Nihilism is<br />Not comprehending<br /><br />Stop and recognize<br />Objects are mirrors<br />Subject realize !<br />Self-actualize !<br /><br />No cause nor effect<br />Coming and going<br />This world I project<br />Is enlightening<br /><br /></em></p></div>Stereoscopyhttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/stereoscopy2012-05-14T04:30:00.000Z2012-05-14T04:30:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/444px-pocket_stereoscope.jpg?w=444" alt="444px-pocket_stereoscope.jpg?w=444" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pocket_stereoscope.jpg">Pocket stereoscope</a> » by Joaquim Alves Gaspar)</span></p><div align="center"><br /> <object codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" height="24" width="290" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><param name="flashvars" value="playerID=audioplayer&soundFile=http://k002.kiwi6.com/hotlink/43z3ao66d5/poligraf_stereoscopy_v7.mp3" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" id="audioplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" flashvars="playerID=audioplayer&soundFile=http://k002.kiwi6.com/uploads/hotlink/43z3ao66d5" allowscriptaccess="never" height="24" width="290" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div><br /><p>« Stereoscopy » is the definitive title of a song which I used to refer to as « Point Of View. » I changed my mind about the title while writing and singing the melodies, thinking that the former word doesn’t get the chance to be employed very often, while the latter phrase is rather common. Well, around here at least.</p><p>The underlying idea of the song is that of the benefit of sharing perspectives, for instance to get rid of old thought templates and replace them with more beneficial ones.</p><p>Stereoscopy means : three-dimensional vision produced by the fusion of two slightly different views of a scene on each retina. Thus the word evokes many perspectives and added depth, which is exactly the point. Of you.</p><p>And for once, the lyrics came about almost effortlessly :</p><p><em><br /> Imagine our paths / As leading up a hill<br />Through the many stories / Directed by our will<br /><br />Minuscule specks in space / Observers raising high<br />Unique by the picture / Reflected in our eye<br /><br />Envisage our tales / Sceneries if you will<br />On so peculiar paths / We ascend our hill<br /><br />Us, tiny points in time<br />Growing to the skies<br />Unique in our ways<br />Singular in our tries<br /><br />Chorus<br /><br />Speak / High on your point of view<br />Paint / Me the picture that you see<br />Hear / I’ll share my mind with you<br />Mutual stereoscopy<br /><br />Tell / I don't know your story<br />Show / How is your reality<br />Look / It's not the same for me<br />New perspectives can set us free<br /><br />Thriving in interdependency<br /><br /><br />Consider our lives / All the time that we fill<br />With the many stories / Written by our quill<br /><br />Our sight reaching far / Our vision ranging wide<br />Unique by the ways / We have ignored or tried<br /><br />Massive panorama / Our senses abide<br />An endless flow of scenes / Amended by the tide<br /><br />You give me your relief<br />I'll cast my own light<br />Sharing between us<br />We deepen our insight<br /><br />Repeat Chorus</em></p></div>Reinfusedhttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/reinfused2012-04-26T03:38:33.000Z2012-04-26T03:38:33.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/reinfused_cover320.png" alt="reinfused_cover320.png" /><br /></p><div align="center"><object codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" height="81" data="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpoligraf%2Freinfused&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=90bec9" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpoligraf%2Freinfused&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=90bec9" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpoligraf%2Freinfused&show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=90bec9" allowscriptaccess="never" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="81" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div><br /><p>« Reinfused » is basically a rehash of outtakes and already presented material. This comparatively short instrumental piece with an emphasis on shifting time and forward movement is intended to suggest a surge of energy that allows the removal of obstacles which prevent progress, and thus permits a successful completion.<br /></p><p>Here is the related poetry :<br /></p><p align="center">Tell me when are these times that I have dreams about<br /> Are they mere memories of better days gone by<br />Unsubstantial fancies fated to fade away<br />Or horizons waiting to be arisen to ?<br /><br />And the fire I felt when this hope was brand new<br />When not even Everest could have kept me from you<br />Has it burned its brightest or just given a hint<br />Does it smolder for chance or consume its last fuel ?<br /><br />And the bridge you promised would serve as my footing<br />Had I strayed from the path or was my step unsure<br />Perchance that fall was meant to complete my healing<br />So I'd see for myself what my strength could endure ?<br /><br />Weren't you the blue bird that had awaken me<br />As I laid in the cold suffering of torment<br />Sung me out of starving, loathing and lethargy<br />Invited me to rise and resume my ascent ?<br /><br />As I now look forward to more of your magic<br />Contemplating what so far had kept me bemused<br />Just ahead are the times I have dreamt ecstatic<br />I see the horizons and I am reinfused</p></div>