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


On 18 January 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

1 birthday · 2 death anniversaries · 7 world events on 18 January

Birthdays

Death anniversaries

World events on this day

  • 18 January 1654

    Pereiaslav Agreement

    In 1654 Bohdan Khmelnytsky and the Cossack Hetmanate entered the Pereiaslav Agreement with the Tsardom of Russia. The agreement followed the Khmelnytsky Uprising against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and remains historically contested in its meaning. It reshaped power across Ukraine, Poland-Lithuania, and Muscovy, with long consequences for identity and sovereignty.

    Event 1654

  • 18 January 1778

    James Cook Reaches Hawaii

    In 1778, Captain James Cook reached the Hawaiian Islands during his third voyage, marking the first recorded contact between Europeans and the islands. This encounter had profound implications for the indigenous Hawaiian population, leading to significant cultural exchanges and eventual changes in their society. Cook's arrival initiated a period of increased European interest in the Pacific, influencing trade, exploration, and colonization efforts in the region. The legacy of this contact remains a critical aspect of Hawaiian history.

    Event 1778

  • 18 January 1871

    Unification of Germany Proclaimed

    In 1871, the unification of Germany was proclaimed following Prussian victory in the Franco-Prussian War, a pivotal moment that altered the balance of power in Europe. The establishment of the German Empire under Kaiser Wilhelm I marked the culmination of nationalist movements and the efforts of Otto von Bismarck. This unification not only reshaped Germany's political landscape but also had profound implications for European diplomacy and conflicts in the years to come.

    Event 1871

  • 18 January 1892

    Marriage to Caroline Balestier

    Rudyard Kipling married Caroline Balestier on January 18, 1892, in London, England. Their union was a blend of British and American cultures, as Caroline was the daughter of an American family with literary connections. This marriage brought Kipling stability and support, allowing him to focus on his writing.

    Event 1892

  • 18 January 1910

    Eugene Ely takes off from a warship

    In 1910 Eugene Ely made the first successful fixed-wing aircraft take-off from a ship, launching from a temporary platform on USS Birmingham. The feat showed that aeroplanes might operate from naval vessels. It opened the path towards aircraft carriers and a transformed relationship between sea power and air power.

    Event 1910

  • 18 January 1936

    Kipling's Death and Legacy

    Rudyard Kipling passed away on January 18, 1936, in London, England. His death marked the end of a prolific literary career that spanned several decades and left a lasting impact on literature. Kipling was buried in Poets' Corner at Westminster Abbey, a testament to his enduring legacy.

    Event 1936

  • 18 January 749

    The Great Earthquake of 749 in the Galilee

    On January 18, 749 CE, a massive earthquake struck the region of the Galilee in the Umayyad Caliphate, causing extensive damage to cities like Tiberias and Beit She'an. This event is one of the most destructive earthquakes in the history of the Levant and had a lasting impact on the landscape and settlement patterns of the region. The quake was recorded by Arabic and Syriac chroniclers and is considered a major turning point in the early Islamic period.

    Event 749
Skip to main content