Sunday, November 19, 2006

Heard melodies are sweet ....

A poem arising from listening to Liszt's organ piece "Ave Maria by Arcadelt". For me, this piece is associated with Christmas, and the allusions are to that time of year.

HEARD MELODIES

The days that followed your quiet end
were filled with bright, hard-shadowed light
and cold cut drily to the bones
and froze the tears as yet unwept.
The world seemed lit as if a stage
which you had left, your part discharged,
and music played like distant bells
heard on the road beneath the stars.
Was it to set the music free
you turned away from struggle then?
For if you chose the path you took
you left this lightness like a gift
with which we joined the search of those
who brought the myrrh, and bring it still.

© C.M.M. 10/06

4 comments:

The Music-Maker said...

I wish there was a way to cut and paste my analysis of this. It's too complicated to kind of explain what I'm thinking without writing an essay.

I like that you compliment your writing of the death of Jesus by the continuous reference to different kinds of 'light'. I am sure this was intentional. The "hard-shadowed light," where everything has an edge and a possible purpose (?). The whole world glowing in order for him to observe and then his mingling with the smaller twinkly lights - great!

Where is that organ?

Christine McIntosh said...

I'm fascinated by your response, Duffy. The organ is the recently-restored and installed organ of the Cathedral of The Isles on Cumbrae, where I was listening to the Arcadelt.

The Music-Maker said...

Did I get it right, miss? Or have I touched on something that wasn't intended?

Christine McIntosh said...

You know I always said that if you could support your interpretation by valid reference to the text then it would stand! You might like to think about the word "quiet" in the first line, which seems to me slightly at odds with your interpretation; apart from that it's a perceptive one and I'm not about to say "That is not what I meant at all"!
Spot that quote??