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


On 10 August in poetry and history

Poets born or who died on this date, plus historical events that happened on this day across history.

610 poets with calendar dates · 6,535 events with calendar dates in the catalogue

Previous Today Next

2 birthdays · 3 death anniversaries · 9 world events on 10 August

Birthdays

Death anniversaries

World events on this day

  • 10 August 1740

    Richardson publishes Pamela

    In 1740, Samuel Richardson published Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded. The epistolary novel told the story of a servant resisting her master's sexual pressure. It became a publishing sensation and provoked both admiration and parody.

    Event 1740

  • 10 August 30 BC

    Cleopatra VII Dies, Ending the Ptolemaic Dynasty

    Cleopatra VII, the last active ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt, died in Alexandria after the defeat of her forces and those of Mark Antony by Octavian. Egypt was subsequently annexed by Rome. Her death ended nearly three centuries of Macedonian Greek rule founded after Alexander the Great's conquests.

    Event 30 BC

  • 10 August 1332

    Battle of Dupplin Moor

    On August 10, 1332, a Scottish army loyal to Edward Balliol, supported by English 'disinherited' nobles, defeated the forces of David II (the son of Robert the Bruce) at the Battle of Dupplin Moor. This victory allowed Balliol to briefly claim the Scottish throne, reigniting the Second War of Scottish Independence. The battle was notable for the effective use of archers and the devastating impact on the Scottish nobility.

    Event 1332

  • 10 August 1566

    Beeldenstorm Iconoclastic Fury in the Low Countries

    The Beeldenstorm, or Iconoclastic Fury, erupted in 1566 as Calvinist mobs violently destroyed Catholic religious images and church decorations across the Low Countries. This wave of iconoclasm was fueled by rising tensions between Protestant reformers and the Catholic Church, reflecting broader socio-political conflicts in the region. The destruction of these religious artifacts not only symbolized a rejection of Catholicism but also played a significant role in the lead-up to the Eighty Years' War, which ultimately led to the independence of the Dutch Republic.

    Event 1566

  • 10 August 1628

    Vasa Sinks on Its Maiden Voyage

    The Swedish warship Vasa capsized and sank shortly after leaving Stockholm harbour on 10 August 1628. Its high superstructure and inadequate stability made it vulnerable when struck by wind. Salvaged in 1961, the remarkably preserved vessel became a major source for understanding seventeenth-century naval technology and Swedish imperial ambition.

    Event 1628

  • 10 August 1680

    Pueblo Revolt Against Spanish Colonizers

    Pueblo peoples in present-day New Mexico coordinated a successful uprising against Spanish colonial rule, expelling colonizers for twelve years and rejecting forced labor, tribute demands, and religious conversion efforts. Led by Popé, the revolt temporarily restored indigenous governance structures and traditional practices before Spanish reconquest reimposed colonial taxation and missionary systems.

    Event 1680

  • 10 August 1890

    Memorial Service at Tremont Temple

    Following his death on 10 August 1890, a massive memorial service was held for O'Reilly at Tremont Temple in Boston, Massachusetts. The event drew a diverse crowd of Irish-Americans, Yankee intellectuals, Catholic clergy, and ordinary citizens, reflecting his broad appeal and influence.

    Event 1890

  • 10 August 258

    Martyrdom of Lawrence of Rome

    The martyrdom of Lawrence of Rome in 258 AD during the persecution of Christians under Emperor Valerian is a significant event in early Christian history. Lawrence, a deacon, was famously roasted on a gridiron, symbolizing the brutal treatment of Christians at the time. His martyrdom became a powerful symbol of faith and resistance, inspiring future generations and contributing to the veneration of saints in Christian tradition.

    Event 258

  • 10 August 1961

    A6 Murder

    In 1961, James Hanratty was convicted and executed for the murder of Michael Gregsten, a case that garnered significant media attention and public interest. The trial was notable for its controversial evidence and the debates surrounding capital punishment in the UK. Hanratty's case remains a focal point in discussions about justice, wrongful convictions, and the ethics of the death penalty, influencing public opinion and legal reforms in subsequent years.

    Event 1961
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