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 19 June 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

3 birthdays · 6 world events on 19 June

Birthdays

World events on this day

  • 19 June 1312

    Execution of Piers Gaveston

    On June 19, 1312, Thomas of Lancaster and his baronial allies ordered the execution of Piers Gaveston, the favourite of King Edward II. Gaveston was captured at Scarborough Castle and beheaded at Blacklow Hill in Warwickshire. His death was a pivotal moment in the reign of Edward II, deepening the conflict between the king and his nobles.

    Event 1312

  • 19 June 1901

    Marriage to Rhoda Bowser

    On June 19, 1901, Arthur Symons married Rhoda Bowser, an aspiring actress and daughter of a Newcastle-upon-Tyne shipping magnate, in a ceremony reflecting his integration into literary and social circles in England.

    Event 1901

  • 19 June 1937

    Battle of Bilbao and Fall of the Biscay Capital

    On June 19, 1937, Nationalist forces captured Bilbao, the capital of the Basque Country, after a sustained campaign in the War in the North. The fall of Bilbao was a major blow to the Republic, as it eliminated the last Republican stronghold in the Basque region and provided Franco with control over Spain's industrial north. The Basque government, led by José Antonio Aguirre, was forced into exile, and the defeat marked the end of organized Basque resistance in the war.

    Event 1937

  • 19 June 1306

    Battle of Methven

    The Battle of Methven took place in Scotland, where Robert the Bruce faced a significant defeat against the English forces led by Aymer de Valence. This battle was part of the ongoing Wars of Scottish Independence, which were crucial in shaping Scottish national identity. The defeat forced Bruce into hiding, but it also solidified his resolve to continue fighting for Scotland's freedom, impacting the national narrative and inspiring future poets and writers.

    Event 1306

  • 19 June 1269

    Louis IX Orders Jews to Wear Yellow Badge

    On June 19, 1269, King Louis IX of France decreed that all Jews in his kingdom must wear an identifying yellow badge in public, or face a fine of ten livres of silver. This legislation was part of a broader trend of anti-Semitic measures across Europe, designed to segregate and stigmatize the Jewish population. Louis IX, who was later canonized as a saint, was a devout Christian king who sought to enforce religious purity within his realm.

    Event 1269

  • 19 June 1836

    Marriage to Isabella Shawe

    William Makepeace Thackeray married Isabella Shawe on June 19, 1836, in London, England. Their union was marked by both affection and challenges, particularly due to financial difficulties and Isabella's health issues. The complexities of their relationship influenced Thackeray's understanding of marriage and domestic life, themes that would appear in his later works.

    Event 1836
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