A quiet notice V2Melody closes at midnight on , Spanish time.

Closes

A note from Richard

V2Melody will close at midnight on 20 January 2028

This site has been a retirement project in musical poetry: poems chosen with care and set to music, offered freely for as long as it felt right to keep the garden open.

The work no longer holds the place it once did in my life. I have gone as far with it as I wish to go. Like a sand mandala, it was made to be completed and then released. I am not attached to its permanence, and I do not believe any of it needs to last beyond the time it was given. The poems were already here before I arrived and began to experiment with them. They will still be here when these musical experiments, and indeed myself, have been swept away, like the sand of a mandala. Nothing has been lost.

I want a simpler end to my life, days of simple love and enjoyment with my wonderful wife of 20 years. The work of maintaining a server, the monitoring, and the residual obligations that come with keeping a site alive no longer fit that life.

From 4 November 2026 I will not be adding new poems or musical poems to the site.

The experimental music I am making now is on my Suno profile. Those pieces stay there, and are not added to this site.

Until midnight on 20 January 2028, Spanish time, everything remains available exactly as it is. That is when my VPS server contract comes to an end, and it will not be renewed. After that, the server will be switched off and the site will disappear.

The Mandala Is Finished explains this more fully.

Thank you to anyone who found a poem, a track, or a quiet moment here.

The pleasure was in the making.

Richard

Home › Glossary › Letter B

brace

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

In poetry, "brace" is an archaic term referring to a pair or couple, often used to denote two individuals or items that are closely associated.

Detailed Definition
The term "brace" originates from Middle English and has its roots in the Old French word "brac," meaning "arm" or "pair." In the context of poetry, it signifies a duo or a set of two, often evoking a sense of companionship or duality. In William Ernest Henley's poem "Children: Private Ward," the speaker refers to "a brace of boys," illustrating the close bond and shared experiences of the two children in the narrative, emphasizing their connection despite their ailments.
Example
Example in poetry:
In the poem "Children: Private Ward," the line "I play the father to a brace of boys" uses "brace" to highlight the relationship between the speaker and the two boys he cares for, indicating both their closeness and the dual nature of their presence in the room.
Additional Notes
Historically, "brace" has been used in various contexts, including hunting, where it referred to a pair of animals. In literature, it can evoke themes of partnership and duality. Related terms include "couple" and "pair," though "brace" carries a more formal or traditional connotation. When using "brace" in modern writing, be mindful of its archaic nature, as it may not resonate with contemporary audiences unless used intentionally for stylistic effect. The term's etymology reflects its connection to physical closeness, which can enhance its emotional weight in poetry.
Other Meanings of “brace”
Also Known As
two pair reinforce
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