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 7 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

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1 birthday · 1 death anniversary · 8 world events on 7 January

Birthdays

Death anniversaries

World events on this day

  • 7 January 1986

    First Use of DNA Evidence to Convict a Criminal in Leicestershire

    Leicestershire Police used DNA profiling developed by Alec Jeffreys to investigate the murders of Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth in Narborough, Leicestershire, England. DNA testing first exonerated Richard Buckland, who had confessed, making him the first person cleared by DNA evidence. A subsequent mass screening of over 4,000 local men led to the identification and conviction of Colin Pitchfork in 1986 — the first criminal conviction worldwide obtained through DNA evidence, a watershed moment in forensic criminal investigation.

    Event 1986

  • 7 January 1637

    Corneille's Le Cid ignites a theatrical controversy

    Pierre Corneille's Le Cid was first performed in 1637 and became a sensation in Paris. Its success provoked debate over dramatic rules, probability, morality and classical decorum. The quarrel revealed the growing authority of critics and institutions over theatre.

    Event 1637

  • 7 January 1839

    Daguerreotype Process Announced

    In 1839, the daguerreotype photographic process was publicly announced in France, marking the advent of the first widely used form of photography. This innovation revolutionized visual representation, allowing for the capture of images in unprecedented detail. The daguerreotype process laid the groundwork for the development of modern photography, influencing art, journalism, and personal documentation.

    Event 1839

  • 7 January 1839

    Louis Daguerre's Photographic Process

    French artist Louis Daguerre announced the daguerreotype process in Paris, France, creating the first practical method of photography. This technique produced highly detailed images on silver-plated copper sheets through mercury vapor development, requiring long exposure times but yielding unprecedented realism. Daguerre's invention democratized portraiture and documentation, though early photographers struggled with technical limitations and artistic acceptance.

    Event 1839

  • 7 January 1610

    Galilean Moons Named

    In 1610, Galileo Galilei made history by naming the four largest moons of Jupiter—Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto—after mythological figures. This discovery, made using a telescope, was significant as it challenged the geocentric view of the universe and supported the heliocentric model proposed by Copernicus. Galileo's observations of these moons provided evidence for the existence of celestial bodies orbiting planets other than Earth. This marked a pivotal moment in the history of astronomy and the scientific revolution.

    Event 1610

  • 7 January 1785

    First Balloon Flight Across the English Channel

    On January 7, 1785, French balloonist Jean-Pierre Blanchard and American physician John Jeffries became the first to cross the English Channel by air. They flew from Dover to Guînes, France, in a hydrogen balloon, marking the first international flight. The crossing was perilous, with the balloon losing altitude over the water, forcing them to dump most of their ballast and even some of their clothing to stay aloft.

    Event 1785

  • 7 January 1826

    Invention of the Photograph by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce

    In 1826, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce created the first permanent photograph, known as 'View from the Window at Le Gras.' This groundbreaking achievement marked the inception of photography as an art form and a means of documentation. Niépce's process, called heliography, required an exposure time of several hours, showcasing the challenges of early photography. This invention not only transformed visual representation but also laid the foundation for future advancements in both technology and artistic expression.

    Event 1826

  • 7 January 1839

    Invention of the Photograph by Louis Daguerre

    In 1839, Louis Daguerre publicly announced the invention of the daguerreotype, marking the first practical method of photography. This revolutionary process allowed for the capturing of images on a polished metal plate, significantly advancing visual documentation and art. The daguerreotype not only transformed personal portraiture but also played a crucial role in the development of journalism and historical record-keeping.

    Event 1839
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