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 21 February 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 · 3 death anniversaries · 7 world events on 21 February

Birthdays

Death anniversaries

World events on this day

  • 21 February 1595

    Execution at Tyburn

    On February 21, 1595, Robert Southwell was executed at Tyburn for his faith and missionary work. His martyrdom was a significant event in the history of English Catholicism, symbolizing the ultimate sacrifice for one's beliefs. Southwell faced his death with remarkable courage and composure, embodying the themes of martyrdom and redemption that permeate his poetry.

    Event 1595

  • 21 February 1848

    Communist Manifesto Published

    The publication of The Communist Manifesto in 1848 by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels coincided with a wave of European revolutions. This seminal text analyzed the nature of capitalism, class struggle, and the dynamics of industrial society, calling for the working class to unite against their oppressors. The manifesto has had a profound influence on political thought and movements worldwide, shaping socialist and communist ideologies for generations.

    Event 1848

  • 21 February 1916

    The Agonizing Trench Warfare at the Battle of Verdun

    Fought over a series of rugged hills surrounding the fortified city of Verdun, France, this monumental World War I battle became the longest and most physically devastating artillery duel in human history. Over 302 days, French and German soldiers endured an absolute nightmare of industrial warfare, living inside shell holes that filled with freezing mud, poison gas, and fragmented bodies while over 60 million artillery shells pulverized the landscape. The French defensive strategy, anchored by General Pétain's rotation system, forced hundreds of thousands of infantrymen to maintain a tragic, stoic endurance under continuous shelling, resulting in over 700,000 total casualties.

    Event 1916

  • 21 February 1804

    Richard Trevithick's High-Pressure Steam Locomotive

    Welsh engineer Richard Trevithick built the first full-scale working railway steam locomotive at Pen-y-Darren ironworks in Wales. His locomotive successfully hauled ten tons of iron along five miles of tramway, proving steam power's viability for rail transport. Though initially impractical due to brittle cast-iron rails that frequently broke under the weight, Trevithick's innovation laid groundwork for the railway revolution that would transform society.

    Event 1804

  • 21 February 1437

    Assassination of King James I of Scotland

    On February 21, 1437, King James I of Scotland was assassinated in a coup at Blackfriars Monastery in Perth by conspirators led by his uncle Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl. James, a cultured poet and reformer who had spent years as a prisoner in England, had worked to centralize royal power and curb noble influence. His death plunged Scotland into instability but led to the coronation of his young son James II. The event underscored the volatile politics of medieval monarchy, clan rivalries, and the challenges of governance in a fractious kingdom.

    Event 1437

  • 21 February 1925

    First Publication of 'The New Yorker' (1925)

    The New Yorker magazine was first published on February 21, 1925, in New York City. It quickly became a significant platform for American writers and poets, showcasing a unique blend of journalism, commentary, and humor. The magazine's innovative style and commitment to literary excellence helped shape American culture and provided a voice for the literary elite, influencing generations of writers and readers.

    Event 1925

  • 21 February 1873

    Drummond Colliery Disaster

    In 1873, an explosion at the Drummond Colliery in Nova Scotia, Canada, resulted in the deaths of several miners, marking a significant event in the region's mining history. The disaster underscored the dangers associated with coal mining and raised awareness about the need for improved safety measures. This incident contributed to ongoing discussions about labor rights and the protection of miners in hazardous work environments.

    Event 1873
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