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 19 December 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 · 2 death anniversaries · 4 world events on 19 December

Birthdays

Death anniversaries

World events on this day

  • 19 December 1111

    The Death of Al-Ghazali and the Synthesis of Sufi Mysticism

    Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, one of the most influential theologians, jurists, and mystics of Islamic history, passed away in Tus, Persia, after fundamentally altering the intellectual trajectory of the Muslim world. His seminal work, 'The Revival of the Religious Sciences' (Ihya Ulum al-Din), successfully reconciled orthodox Sunni theology with interior Sufi mysticism. By validating the subjective, experiential knowledge of the divine (ma'rifah) over pure scholastic rationalism, al-Ghazali provided a secure institutional framework for mystical practices across Islamic societies.

    Event 1111

  • 19 December 1154

    Coronation of Henry II and Start of Plantagenet Rule

    Henry II was crowned king of England in 1154, marking the beginning of the Plantagenet dynasty. His ascension followed a period of civil war, and he implemented reforms that restored order and strengthened royal authority. Henry's reign laid the foundation for the development of the English legal system and centralized governance, significantly influencing the political landscape of medieval England and setting the stage for future conflicts and developments.

    Event 1154

  • 19 December 2013

    Gaia Space Astrometry Mission

    In 2013, the European Space Agency launched the Gaia mission, designed to create the most detailed 3D map of the Milky Way by precisely measuring positions and motions of over a billion stars. Its data revolutionizes astronomy and galactic archaeology. Gaia deepens our understanding of cosmic history, fueling poetic wonder about origins, movement, and the galaxy's dynamic architecture.

    Event 2013

  • 19 December 1961

    End of Portuguese Empire in India

    In December 1961, Indian forces launched Operation Vijay, annexing the Portuguese enclaves of Goa, Daman, and Diu after failed diplomatic negotiations. This ended over 450 years of Portuguese colonial presence in India and symbolized anti-colonial momentum worldwide. The event influenced postcolonial poetry and literature exploring themes of liberation, identity, and the legacies of European imperialism in South Asia.

    Event 1961
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