The prompt from “Poets and Storytellers United” this week is to write something about “the most important step”… How one should best progress forward after that most important first step towards a desired goal has been taken.
While some people manage to succeed in progressing forward and taking charge of their lives in a planned and courageous way, others seem to stumble, vacillate, or look for guidance from others, or perhaps even from the stars…
How many people read their horoscope every morning? How many consult astrologers or tarot card readers? Maybe palmists? All seeking to find the true path forward and to take that most important step…
Casting Horoscopes
Trine Jupiter and square Mars,
The moon always in opposition
While Mercury yet again is retrograde.
I gaze up counting all the stars,
Trying to define my position,
While searching for your hand, so much afraid.
Sextile - Jupiter and angry Saturn,
Gemini’s in the eleventh house,
Aquarius on the ascendant.
You left me once, now it’s my turn,
Trying my love for you to douse,
Ignoring all the pains attendant….
The sky is dark,
My thoughts so stark;
My heart languishes lonely,
Stars for my company, only.
I cast you far, far away,
The moon to keep at bay
My maddening, whirling thoughts of you.
I read my horoscope and find in it a taunting déjà vu.
The sun sets, Venus will follow
The zodiac rotates, and high up in the sky,
Cybele reflects in the moon’s shade.
My heart is empty, feels so hollow,
I cast the die, I try to push thoughts of you by,
But time reminds me of a fate I can’t evade.
Trine Jupiter and square Mars,
The moon always in opposition
While Mercury yet again is retrograde.
I gaze up counting all the stars,
Trying to define my position,
While searching for your hand, so much afraid.
The sky still dark,
My thoughts so stark;
My hand still empty, lonely,
Stars for my company, only.
I cast you far, far away,
The hag of a moon to keep at bay
My maddening, whirling thoughts of you.
I read my horoscope and find in it a taunting déjà vu…
This poem is set to music, and you can find all references to my music in my “Otidorchestre” channel, or listen to it on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon, Deezer, Flo, Pandora, and other music sharing sites.
I can feel the weight of your words and the desire to connect with the universe- Jae
ReplyDeleteOne feels so small when one looks at the sky on a clear night, Jae... Astrology was one way that people in the past attempted to deal with the awe-inspiring spectacle...
DeleteA beautiful piece I checked out the video and that is absolutely stunning. I'm curious: did you compose the music yourself or was it created with AI? Either way it is very moving
ReplyDeleteThank you, Marja. I have composed for decades and as my compositions became more complex requiring classical orchestration, I have used a computer and a notation program to enter the notes and have it play back in full orchestral splendour (see one my concerto movements here: https://youtu.be/qUKI5P-i_FE?si=vmythJjVKryZxcl3 ). Now that we have AI, I can enter my lyrics, my sketches of melody, style, instrumentation and the orchestration indications, and get the technology to generate a singing voice to sing my song! It's quite amazing what has been achieved by this new technology.
DeleteFascinating! I'm no astrologer, so I wonder very much if your terminology is based on actual knowledge of what all those positions signify, or whether you chose them to sound right and fit the rhyme and rhythm.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rosemary. My interest in Astrology is only academic and an understanding of its historical, cultural, ethnological and psychological significance. I've used poetic licence and have used the terms to fit into the rhythm and rhyme of the poem.
Deletei'm clueless on astrology...but loved your piece!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nandini!
DeleteA star gazers spell and incantation.
ReplyDeleteIndeed!
DeleteThe horoscope tells of your destine travel. So your poet tells, I don't believe him/her.
ReplyDeleteA poet is the last person I'd believe, Jim... However, a poet can make us FEEL, question, doubt, and hopefully understand.
Delete"The fault dear Brutus lies not in the stars but in ourselves." I'll go with the Bard. Horoscoping seems fraught with anxiety.
ReplyDeleteTrue, the Bard was very much into astronomy and not astrology. Very sensible of him!
DeleteI used to have a good time reading the horoscope in the newspaper at the end of the day to see whether *any*thing about it reminded me of *any*thing that really happened. Answer was no more often than mere chance seemed to suggest, but one day the horoscope was hilariously accurate. I posted that story to the blog about ten years ago....
ReplyDeleteProbability states categorically that on an odd occasion the horoscope of the day will be very accurate... :-)
DeleteI don't know much about astrology, but when I was younger, I loved to read my horoscope. Lovely poem, and music, Nick.
ReplyDeleteThank you, kindly!
Delete