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 16 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

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1 birthday · 1 death anniversary · 3 world events on 16 August

Birthdays

Death anniversaries

World events on this day

  • 16 August 2012

    The Marikana Miners Massacre in South Africa

    The South African Police Service opens fire on a crowd of striking platinum miners at a Lonmin-owned mine in Marikana, Rustenburg, killing 34 workers and wounding over 70 others. The miners were demanding a living wage and better housing conditions, highlighting deep-seated post-apartheid economic inequalities. The massacre is the most lethal use of force by South African security personnel against civilians since the end of apartheid, sending shockwaves through the country's political system and exposing deep divisions within the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and labor movements.

    Event 2012

  • 16 August 1819

    Peterloo Massacre

    The Peterloo Massacre occurred in 1819 when cavalry charged into a large crowd of reform protesters at St Peter’s Field in Manchester, resulting in the deaths of around 15 individuals and injuring hundreds more. This tragic event highlighted the growing demands for parliamentary reform and the right to peaceful assembly in Britain. It galvanized public opinion and ultimately contributed to significant political changes, including the expansion of suffrage.

    Event 1819

  • 16 August 1896

    Klondike Gold Rush (1896)

    The Klondike Gold Rush began in 1896 with the discovery of gold in Bonanza Creek, Yukon, attracting over 100,000 prospectors seeking fortune. This massive influx transformed the region's economy and demographics, leading to the establishment of new towns and infrastructure while significantly impacting indigenous populations and the environment. The rush symbolized the allure of opportunity during the late 19th century amid a global depression.

    Event 1896
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