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.

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



1172

The Influence of the Byzantine Empire on Western Culture

What happened

In 1172, the Byzantine Empire continued to exert a profound influence on Western culture, particularly in art, architecture, and philosophy. The exchange of ideas and artistic styles between the Byzantines and Western Europe enriched the cultural landscape, fostering a unique blend of traditions. This cultural diffusion played a significant role in shaping the Renaissance and later artistic movements.

Literary impact

The Byzantine influence on Western literature can be seen in the incorporation of classical themes and styles in poetry. Poets and writers drew inspiration from Byzantine aesthetics and philosophical thought, contributing to the development of a rich literary tradition that celebrated the fusion of cultures.

Source: Wikipedia

Poets alive in 1172

1 poet

More events in 1172

Skip to main content