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 8 December 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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6 birthdays · 4 death anniversaries · 4 world events on 8 December

Birthdays

Death anniversaries

World events on this day

  • 8 December 1922

    Northern Ireland Opts Out of Irish Free State

    On December 8, 1922, the Parliament of Northern Ireland exercised its right under the Anglo-Irish Treaty to opt out of the Irish Free State, confirming the partition of Ireland. The border was formalized by the Irish Boundary Commission, which made only minor adjustments. The opt-out cemented the division of Ireland into two separate states, a division that persists to this day.

    Event 1922

  • 8 December 1941

    United States Enters WWII

    On December 8, 1941, the United States declared war on Japan following the attack on Pearl Harbor, marking its entry into World War II. Just days later, on December 11, the U.S. also declared war on Germany and Italy, fully committing to the Allied effort. This pivotal moment shifted the course of the war and had profound implications for global geopolitics, ultimately leading to the defeat of the Axis powers and reshaping international relations.

    Event 1941

  • 8 December 1980

    Assassination of John Lennon

    On December 8, 1980, John Lennon, a member of the iconic band The Beatles, was assassinated by Mark David Chapman outside his residence in New York City. This tragic event shocked the world and marked a significant moment in music history, as Lennon was not only a cultural icon but also a vocal advocate for peace and social change. His death sparked widespread mourning and reflection on his contributions to music and society.

    Event 1980

  • 8 December 1864

    Pius IX's Syllabus of Errors

    In 1864, Pope Pius IX issued the 'Syllabus of Errors,' a papal document that condemned various modern ideologies, including liberalism, rationalism, and the separation of church and state. This declaration was significant as it marked the Catholic Church's resistance to modernity and its commitment to traditional doctrines. The Syllabus served as a rallying point for conservative Catholics and influenced church policy and attitudes towards modern society for decades.

    Event 1864
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