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 30 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 · 1 death anniversary · 8 world events on 30 January

Birthdays

Death anniversaries

World events on this day

  • 30 January 1649

    Trial of Charles I

    In London, King Charles I was tried before a specially convened High Court of Justice for treason against the realm, marking the first time a reigning English monarch was put on public trial. The court, whose legitimacy Charles refused to recognize, convicted him after he was removed from the proceedings for disruptive challenges to its authority. He was executed outside the Banqueting House in Whitehall on January 30, 1649.

    Event 1649

  • 30 January 1972

    Bloody Sunday in Derry

    On January 30, 1972, British paratroopers opened fire on unarmed civil rights protesters in Derry, killing 14 civilians. The event, known as Bloody Sunday, was a watershed moment in the Troubles, causing outrage across Ireland and the world. The massacre led to a surge in support for the IRA and marked the beginning of the most violent period of the conflict.

    Event 1972

  • 30 January 1649

    Charles I Is Tried and Executed

    In 1649, King Charles I of England was tried for treason and executed after the English Civil War. The act shattered the doctrine that kings were beyond earthly judgement. It transformed monarchy, parliament, and political imagination across Britain and Europe.

    Event 1649

  • 30 January 1649

    Execution of Charles I

    The execution of Charles I in 1649 was a watershed moment in English history, leading to the establishment of the Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell. This event marked the culmination of the English Civil War and represented a radical shift in governance, as it challenged the divine right of kings and introduced republican ideals. The execution had profound implications for the monarchy and the future of parliamentary democracy in England.

    Event 1649

  • 30 January 1933

    Hitler Appointed Chancellor

    On January 30, 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany, marking a pivotal moment in history as he began consolidating power for the Nazi Party. This appointment came amid economic turmoil and political instability in Germany, allowing Hitler to implement policies that would lead to the establishment of a totalitarian regime. The implications of his leadership would resonate throughout the world, ultimately leading to World War II and the Holocaust.

    Event 1933

  • 30 January 1881

    Death of Arthur O'Shaughnessy

    Arthur O'Shaughnessy passed away on January 30, 1881, in London. His death marked the end of a brief but impactful literary career. Despite his struggles during his lifetime, O'Shaughnessy's work would later gain recognition for its musicality and imaginative power.

    Event 1881

  • 30 January 1631

    La Gazette begins publication in France

    In 1631, Théophraste Renaudot founded La Gazette in France with support from Cardinal Richelieu. It became one of Europe's important early newspapers. The paper served state interests while helping regularise the flow of political and cultural information.

    Event 1631

  • 30 January 1820

    Edward Bransfield and William Smith Sight Antarctic Peninsula

    In 1820, British explorer Edward Bransfield, accompanied by pilot William Smith, made one of the earliest confirmed European sightings of the Antarctic mainland when they spotted the Trinity Peninsula. This expedition was significant as it expanded the geographical knowledge of the time and marked the beginning of European interest in Antarctica, which would later lead to further exploration and scientific research in the region.

    Event 1820
Skip to main content