Welcome to my regular Friday song/tune day, ladies and gentlemen, where I pick a piece of music that reflects my mood or the times, to share with you.

Happy new year to all who celebrate the Chinese New Year. It is the year of the Water Tiger. I feel inspired to write a short poem.

Surrender To The Forest

silence descends
deep are the shadows
birdsong marks its passing
the water laps the lake

Photo by Danne on Pexels.com

Continuing on this cultural journey, I think we should have a listen to Sun Quan, The Emperor, by Moyun. Enjoy.

Kind Regards.
Tracy.

44 thoughts on “Surrender Is The Only Option”

  5. ❤ love your poem! Bear didn't like the music but I do.

    The Tyger
    BY WILLIAM BLAKE

    Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
    In the forests of the night;
    What immortal hand or eye,
    Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

    In what distant deeps or skies.
    Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
    On what wings dare he aspire?
    What the hand, dare seize the fire?

    And what shoulder, & what art,
    Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
    And when thy heart began to beat,
    What dread hand? & what dread feet?

    What the hammer? what the chain,
    In what furnace was thy brain?
    What the anvil? what dread grasp,
    Dare its deadly terrors clasp!

    When the stars threw down their spears
    And water'd heaven with their tears:
    Did he smile his work to see?
    Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

    Tyger Tyger burning bright,
    In the forests of the night:
    What immortal hand or eye,
    Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

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    1. Thank you, Martha. I don’t think I’ve read the whole of Blake’s poem before. It’s wonderful. Strangely enough when I was writing this poem, I kept asking myself what words could I use to describe the tiger and I just couldn’t think of any that it would do it justice, so I didn’t. I’ve only now realised that it was a tactic used by Blake, albeit his poem possesses a grandness, a sense of awe, that mine does not.
      Hopefully Teddy has better taste in music than Bear. It blew my mind.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I think that’s a wonderful instrument. I fell under its spell in China at a concert the province put on for foreign teachers. I like Chinese music. I love the Erhu, that 2 stringed “violin”. It’s haunting. The year after I got back from China I organized a city-wide festival of Asian culture. I had to “interview” performers and one was a Chinese youth orchestra. I went to hear them and a girl played the song “Homesick” on the erhu. I cried all the way through it. It evoked every emotion I felt being exiled from China (how I felt at the time). Pretty amazing. No other piece of music has ever affected me like that.

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  12. A lovely poem and music choice, Tracy. For some reason as I listened to the music memories of the band Weather Report popped into my head – at one time they were influenced by world music.

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      1. We’ve been away so I was catching up on missed blog-posts and also feeling tired. I loved the contemplative feel of your poem and the beautiful music was a big surprise as I had no idea what I was in for! I love harp music and found this similar-but-different 😀 Your post was very refreshing for me, thank you! Definitely “unexpected” as in ~just what I needed in that moment 🙂

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  15. Love the festive reprise … I am particularly taken by the drum work. What a energetic way to start my morning!

    Your poem is haunting; a reminder that nature marks time and space in her own way, and that we will get left behind if we don’t pay heed.

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  16. I always surrender to the forest! And now, to your poetry and to Moyun. Wonderful.
    I must say I tried to comment on your two posts on your art, but it did not work. It says it needs a password or something. I can say I much appreciated both posts!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ann Christine, I did respond to your comments on my art but it’s my suspicion that if you were busy and did not see them before I locked the post, then you would not have received those replies. Thank you so much very much for your comments. Anyone can make lovely mosaics, AC. It is such an accessible art form. The tricky ones do take practice though.
      I’m hesitant to say, because it wsscher face that I focussed on but I think your mother was wearing a soft lilac coloured shirt in the photo.
      Also, thank you for this comment.

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