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 October 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 · 5 death anniversaries · 8 world events on 7 October

Birthdays

Death anniversaries

World events on this day

  • 7 October 1993

    Toni Morrison Wins the Nobel Prize in Literature

    In 1993, Toni Morrison became the first Black woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Her novels explored slavery, memory, motherhood, community, haunting, beauty, violence, and the inner lives of Black Americans. The award marked a major shift in global recognition of African American women's literature.

    Event 1993

  • 7 October 1571

    Battle of Lepanto halts Ottoman naval expansion

    The Battle of Lepanto occurred in 1571, where a coalition of Christian states known as the Holy League, led by Spain and Venice, decisively defeated the Ottoman Empire's naval fleet. This battle was significant as it marked the first major victory for Christian forces over the Ottomans, halting their expansion into the Mediterranean and preserving European control over vital sea routes. The victory also boosted European morale and had lasting implications for the balance of power in the region.

    Event 1571

  • 7 October 1991

    Sony commercializes the first lithium-ion rechargeable battery in Tokyo

    In 1991, the Sony Corporation commercialized the first lithium-ion rechargeable battery in Tokyo, Japan. Developed by a team led by Akira Yoshino, the lithium-ion battery used lithium cobalt oxide as the positive electrode and a carbon material as the negative electrode, offering far greater energy density and lighter weight than previous rechargeable batteries. Introduced in Sony's camcorders in Tokyo, this battery type would eventually power virtually all portable electronic devices, from laptops to smartphones, transforming the relationship between electrical energy and daily life.

    Event 1991

  • 7 October 1886

    Abolition of Slavery in Cuba

    On October 7, 1886, the Spanish government abolished slavery in Cuba, freeing the last 25,000 enslaved people on the island, three decades after the first abolitionist legislation was passed. The abolition process was gradual, beginning with the Moret Law of 1870, which freed children born to enslaved mothers and older adults, and culminating in the final decree. Cuba's emancipation was the last major abolition in the Spanish colonial empire and was influenced by the island's long independence struggle and international pressure. The event marked the end of centuries of slavery in the Caribbean.

    Event 1886

  • 7 October 1903

    Automobile Dismissed as Fad

    In 1903, the president of the Michigan Savings Bank famously dismissed the automobile as a passing fad, cautioning against investing in what he deemed a novelty. His skepticism reflected the prevailing attitudes of the time, as many believed that horses would remain the primary mode of transportation. However, this perspective underestimated the transformative potential of the automobile industry, which would soon revolutionize transportation and urban development.

    Event 1903

  • 7 October 1919

    KLM is founded as a lasting national airline

    KLM was founded in the Netherlands in 1919 and became one of the world's longest continuously operating airlines. It linked national prestige, commerce, colonial routes, and passenger travel. The airline model helped turn aviation into infrastructure rather than isolated adventure.

    Event 1919

  • 7 October 1963

    Learjet 23 first flies and defines the business jet

    The Learjet 23 first flew in 1963 and became one of the aircraft most associated with private business jet travel. It offered speed and flexibility to corporations and wealthy individuals. The design helped create a new social image of executive mobility and airborne privilege.

    Event 1963

  • 7 October 1571

    Battle of Lepanto and Literary Responses

    The Battle of Lepanto in 1571 was a crucial naval engagement in which the Holy League defeated the Ottoman navy, halting their expansion into the Mediterranean. This victory was not only a military triumph but also inspired a wave of literary responses that celebrated the event and its implications for Christendom. The battle marked a significant moment in the struggle between Christian and Muslim powers, influencing European politics and culture for years to come.

    Event 1571
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