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 M

mantle

Apparel
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

A loose, sleeveless outer garment worn over other clothing, functioning as a poetic emblem of authority, sanctity, or the weight of inherited tradition.

Detailed Definition
In literary usage, the mantle often transcends mere raiment to become a metonym for a role or calling, as in the "mantle of the prophet" or the "mantle of kingship." Poets draw upon this association to explore themes of succession, duty, and the burden of legacy. The mantle's ample fabric also lends itself to images of shelter and envelopment, sometimes appearing in nature poetry as a covering of snow or darkness over the landscape. In Arthurian romance, the mantle can be enchanted, revealing a lady's fidelity or treachery. Its absence or removal frequently signals vulnerability, abdication, or the stripping away of pretense. The word itself carries a resonant, weighty cadence, making it a favorite for blank verse and heroic couplets where dignity of tone is paramount.
Example
Example in poetry:
"He took up the mantle of his father and wore it like a second skin"; "The mantle's heavy wool was a burden and a blessing"; "She wrapped her mantle around the child and held the cold at bay"; "The mantle, trimmed with fur, was the only warmth in the frozen hall"; "He laid his mantle at her feet and swore his allegiance"; "The mantle's folds concealed a dagger and a letter and a heart"
Additional Notes
In literary usage, the mantle often transcends mere raiment to become a metonym for a role or calling, as in the "mantle of the prophet" or the "mantle of kingship." Poets draw upon this association to explore themes of succession, duty, and the burden of legacy. The mantle's ample fabric also lends itself to images of shelter and envelopment, sometimes appearing in nature poetry as a covering of snow or darkness over the landscape. In Arthurian romance, the mantle can be enchanted, revealing a lady's fidelity or treachery. Its absence or removal frequently signals vulnerability, abdication, or the stripping away of pretense. The word itself carries a resonant, weighty cadence, making it a favorite for blank verse and heroic couplets. Related terms include cloak, robe, and cape. Students should note the mantle's metaphorical power as a symbol of authority, protection, and inherited responsibility.
Also Known As
cloak cape enveloping garment
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