“I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity.” - Dwight D. Eisenhower
The New What’s Going On Blog has set as its theme today "ekphrastic poetry”. I have used one of my paintings, which was inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night”, but brought up to date as it were, considering the number of wars and conflicts that are raging around the world at the present time. Some of us may be lucky enough to sleep and rest in a country at peace, but we must not forget how many people are living in the hell of combat - sleep and rest being only an unattainable dream…
Starry Night
Heavens are vivid, clear tonight
The golden stars are blazing bright;
We watch transfixed and glorify
The Maker’s grace that gave us sky.
The city sleeps content and still,
As sleeper’s dreams with pleasure fill.
Nightbirds sound the hours’ passing
And distant music sleep trespassing.
Calmness of peace awards us rest
And every child is quiet, blessed.
The moon looks down and sweetly smiles
Surveys the countryside around for miles.
Heaven is burning hot tonight,
Alight with violent fires that smite;
The missiles fall, explode and strike
King, peasant, young and old alike.
The city is embraced by a wild panic
All go to shelters, running manic;
Explosions, screams, war cries resound
Even in cellars deep, far underground.
Fury of battle and warmongers’ folly
Make every soul dire, melancholy;
Ashamed, the moon hides in the clouds
Wrapping herself in smoky shrouds.
Oh, foolish, crazy, deluded human,
Why peace forsake and become inhuman?
Your days are short, so very dear
Why waste them only to live in fear?
The poem is set to music again, and you can find all my music in my “Otidorchestre” channel or listen to it on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon, Deezer, Flo, Pandora, and other music sharing sites. Please note that there is some delay in publication of music on these platforms and generally the fastest publication is on YouTube, however, they will all make the music available within a few days.
Starry Night
Heavens are vivid, clear tonight
The golden stars are blazing bright;
We watch transfixed and glorify
The Maker’s grace that gave us sky.
The city sleeps content and still,
As sleeper’s dreams with pleasure fill.
Nightbirds sound the hours’ passing
And distant music sleep trespassing.
Calmness of peace awards us rest
And every child is quiet, blessed.
The moon looks down and sweetly smiles
Surveys the countryside around for miles.
Heaven is burning hot tonight,
Alight with violent fires that smite;
The missiles fall, explode and strike
King, peasant, young and old alike.
The city is embraced by a wild panic
All go to shelters, running manic;
Explosions, screams, war cries resound
Even in cellars deep, far underground.
Fury of battle and warmongers’ folly
Make every soul dire, melancholy;
Ashamed, the moon hides in the clouds
Wrapping herself in smoky shrouds.
Oh, foolish, crazy, deluded human,
Why peace forsake and become inhuman?
Your days are short, so very dear
Why waste them only to live in fear?
The poem is set to music again, and you can find all my music in my “Otidorchestre” channel or listen to it on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon, Deezer, Flo, Pandora, and other music sharing sites. Please note that there is some delay in publication of music on these platforms and generally the fastest publication is on YouTube, however, they will all make the music available within a few days.
