Hi Martin,
Thanks for enjoying 'Anacapri'. Debussy's one of my favourites too. I often listen to his piano music while I'm at work and I've written a poem inspired by each of his preludes.
I enjoyed your blues piece (combining music and planets). Quarter tones are cool and I like all the instruments in 'Celestial Euphony'. Congrats on your book too :-)
I'm heading back to Mussorgsky now. Here's 'The Old Castle'; the furtive flavour of the movement (particularly in Ravel's orchestral version) brought to mind a secret love affair when I wrote the poem a few years ago. Sorry it's a bit long!
The Old Castle
The stone wall stands so tall, for a moment he sighs
00and considers returning to town,
when a memory comes, of her beautiful eyes
00and her figure so graceful in gown,
then he sees a firm foothold, determines to try
00to make true on the promise he swore,
'I shall sing to my love of my love till I die,
00then my spirit sing love evermore!'
He embarks on the climb, scales the uppermost heights,
00and peers down into grand garden grounds,
lustrous lawns, beauteous blooms, clothed in moon's languid lights,
00and the guards on their stern midnight rounds,
but they do not glance up as they march swiftly by,
00and he tunes to the flowery floor,
'I shall sing to my love of my love till I die,
00then my spirit sing love evermore!'
He descends among lime limbs to crouch in long grass,
00then steals slowly alongside box hedge,
as soft lavender lemon balm southerlies pass,
00with the scent of the far sea and sedge,
then he hears distant waves breaking hungry and high
00and he calls to the warrior roar,
'I shall sing to my love of my love till I die,
00then my spirit sing love evermore!'
He approaches the tower door, made of oak beams,
00yet ajar for his flight up the stairs
to her turret room, till now viewed only in dreams
00but inspiring a thousand cantaires,
then he sings to his sweetheart until he is dry
00and he whispers, 'How I thee adore!
I shall sing to my love of my love till I die,
00then my spirit sing love evermore!'
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