Reign of Fate (Dulcimer Poetry)

It's recorded badly and mixed with rank incompetence. But realistically, I probably won't be able to try again. The dulcimer score exceeds my limited abilities; it takes me many days of concentrated practice to be able to play it at all, and even then it is never quite right. So I might as well re-post it, warts and all, in hopes that my children will find it one day.

The poem meant a lot to me, in a self-defining sort of way, when I was a kid. I wrote it when I was 13 years old, lying under a pew in an old Quaker meeting house. I've edited some of the juvenilia (the original opening of the second stanza, for example, was "it radiates peaceful vibes ...")

The instrument is a Blue Lion baritone mountain dulcimer, the bridge mis-adjusted (hence the intonation errors). It's two mono channels recorded on a mobile phone --- thought I could clean it up on the computer, but lacked the skills. Hence the vocals get very muddled and lost in places.

The Poem:

Where the wind stings like acid
and the sun burns the brush
lies the truth, calm and placid
bringing wild to a hush

It radiates peaceful mind
through the wasteland it views
it soothes the state of hostile tribes
to melancholy hues

From gloomy grey to crimson
it transforms their moods
the tribes there pray each season
for it to end their feuds

The presence of God it questions
for logically Truth must rule
yet without creative intentions
fate would surely be cruel!

But here where the wind is brutal
and fire plagues the fields
questions of God are futile
to fate the people yield!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• baritone
• mountain
• dulcimer
• bad
• poetry
• Richard
• Latker
• agnosticism

[dholeton]

Richard

This is very good! Many of us tend to forgive for the limitations in our equipment on Youtube. You posted the lyrics and I got right through where they weren't audible, may have given more impact that way. This is one you need to keep playing. Keep it on top.

Dave

[milnoid]

@dholeton Wow, thanks. Didn't think anyone had actually listened to this all the way through. It will be a long time before I revisit this one, though. The dulcimer part is just too demanding and difficult for me to play.

[dholeton]

@milnoid

Ok, maybe someday, then.

Dave