Tag Archives: beauty

Uncontainable Holy One

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The third track of the Virtual Orchestra: Heavenly Light Album

is about the beauty of creation displaying God’s handiwork and giving a foretaste of eternity in His presence, His knowledge of our struggles and awesome love and care for us despite our flaws and failures, His unique character, and the wonderful future He has in store for His children. English and Czech subtitles are available.

The lyrics are:

You paint the sunrise and pour down the rain,
Sculpt towering mountains and wide open plains;
Grant comforting friendships and welcoming smiles,
Warm invitations to rest here a while.

Glittering waterfalls, flowers and trees,
Delicate butterflies, hardworking bees;
Breathtaking beauty is nothing compared
To the radiant glory we’ll see from you there

You’re the Holy one,
Uncontainable God’s own Son,
Flanked by angels, enthroned on high
Your love will never die

You went to find me when my soul was lost,
Were willing to suffer, you’d counted the cost.
You see my cowardice, selfishness, wrath,
Sigh as once more I go down the wrong path;

You witness my failure again and again,
Know all my sorrows and share all my pain.
When I’m broken-hearted, you bleed with me there,
Ensuring that I bring my head up for air.

You’re the Holy One,
Unmistakable God’s own Son,
Irreplaceable Prince of Peace,
You give my heart release.

Uncontainable,
Unrestrainable,
Unrepeatable,
Undefeatable.
Unmistakable,
Irreplaceable,
Holy, powerful,
Truly wonderful.

You’re full of tenderness, justice and mercy;
I long for that great day when finally we’ll see
You face to face,
There in that wondrous place,

For You are the Holy One,
Mighty, powerful God’s own Son;
Truly wonderful Counsellor,
We couldn’t ask for more.

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Lyrics, melody, arrangement, vocals, audio mixing, and VST instrument programming in Reaper using virtual instruments from Orchestral Tools and Spitfire Audio, 3d rendering in Daz Studio, and video editing in Hit Film Pro 13 by Ben Zwycky using stock footage and images from Pixabay, and stock footage provided by Freepik, downloaded from videvo.net

A Music Video for Heavenly Light

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As promised, here is the second music video from my first album, this time for the titular track, Heavenly Light. May it encourage you and help to keep things in perspective in all your daily struggles. It seems especially appropriate at this time of year, traditionally a time when we look back and seek to learn from our mistakes as well as looking forward to a new year and all the promises of new beginnings that it holds. (Both English and Czech subtitles are available)

The lyrics are:

The world loves the shadows,
And living in fear;
Corrupting its fellows,
More brazen each year.

Devouring its seed corn
to put on a show;
Regarding with deep scorn
All those who don’t know.

But I choose to follow
Your heavenly light;
Despite all my sorrows,
I’ll stand up and fight

For things that are beautiful,
The Good and the true;
Since everything wonderful
Points right back to You.

Grant these frail bones strength enough
To persevere when the road gets rough,
So there’s purpose in my current pain;
I won’t live in vain.

When my time here’s done and I see Your face,
I’ll be welcomed by Your warm embrace,
I’ll have kept the faith and run the race,
And at last I’ll be home.

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Lyrics, melody, arrangement, vocals, audio mixing, and VST instrument programming by Ben Zwycky in Reaper using virtual instruments from Orchestral Tools and Spitfire Audio, and video editing in Hit Film Pro 13 using stock footage and images from Pixabay and videvo.

When the Skies Were Silent

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I was saddened over the weekend to hear of Lou Antonelli’s passing. He was a true gentleman, a kind and joyful soul and a gifted writer, and it deepens my sadness that I never got to meet him in person (he was supposed to stay at my cousin’s house with me for DragonCon 2017, but terrible traffic conditions prevented him from making the journey). While I didn’t write this song with him in mind, it seems somehow appropriate.

When the Skies Were Silent

When the skies were silent,
No song came from the clouds;
No whisper wafting on the wind
To calm the madding crowds,

No burning words of wisdom
That leave a man in awe;
No key to all my problems
That opens every door.

I sat there in the quiet,
Frustrated and alone;
Despair welled up inside me,
To which I’m all too prone.

But then I looked up at the trees
That speak of His great artistry;
The sun and rain, each in their time,
His generosity;

A mountain’s great endurance
Reflects His faithfulness;
Birds sing songs of glory
That words cannot express.

Animals at play give us
A glimpse of His pure joy;
The beauty of the stars above
Our sins cannot destroy.

A shoulder there to cry on,
A smile and warm embrace,
Expresses part of His great love,
His mercy and His grace.

So when the skies are silent
Above the dreadful noise,
I’m clear on my assignment:
It’s my turn to be His voice.

Winter Musing

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I wrote most of this this while on a walk yesterday:

Winter Musing

When snowy fields at sunset have turned the world to gold,
Remember truths you must pass on before your heart grows cold:
An empty soul cannot be filled with momentary joys;
A broken heart cannot be fixed with parties, tricks and shiny toys.

Don’t entertain yourselves to death, but reach for higher things,
You do not need to be struck blind or hear an angel’s wings
To witness glory all around in little acts of love,
Appreciate a kindness shown when push has come to shove,

Let the lonely child know there’s a place where he belongs,
Offer words of hope to those whose faith is not as strong:
When darkness overwhelms you and your path is all but gone,
The shadow’s but a passing thing, and you are not alone.

The one who knows your heart and pain,
Who knows your will to rise again,
Who calls the storm cloud and the rain,
Is closer than you know.

So lift your head up strong and proud,
And when before the madding crowd,
Be not afraid to shout aloud,
“In His steps I will go!”

Should they choose to run you through
For staying faithful, pure and true,
Then heaven’s door will be in view,
And joy will overflow.

Alma Deutscher, the Superversive and the Importance of Beauty in Art

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Alma Deutscher is a world-famous musical prodigy and composer, who at the age of 15 has already composed full orchestral concertos and even a full opera, with her music having being performed together with major orchestras and in major venues such as this recent performance at Carnegie Hall:

The piece is wonderful, but I found her introduction especially interesting, since it could have come straight from the Superversive Literary Movement’s mission statement:

“Some people told me that melodies are no longer acceptable in serious classical music. Because in the twenty-first century, music must reflect the ugliness of the modern world. Well, in this waltz, instead of trying to make my music artificially ugly in order to reflect the modern world, I went in exactly the opposite direction! I took some ugly sounds from the modern world, and I tried to turn them into something more beautiful through music.”

Another similar quote from almost three years earlier, when she was 12, puts it even more succinctly:

“Let me tell you a huge secret. I already know that the world is complex and can be very ugly. But I think that these people just got a little bit confused. If the world is so ugly, then what’s the point of making it even uglier with ugly music?”

The transformation of ugliness into beauty, the magical nature of beauty in art, and the desire to rebel against today’s pretentious fashionistas of foulness and lifeless drudgery with true and worthwhile art is the sign of a healthy mind and genuine artist.

A single flower poking through a crack in a vast concrete landscape, a small act of kindness in the midst of horrific war, innocence being protected from a depraved mob—each far outshines its surroundings and transforms the whole scene into something uplifting and inspiring—no wonder our intellectual jailers put so much effort into polluting, smothering and drowning out all glimpses of beauty, all glimmers of hope, all echoes of the truth, because just one breath of fresh, pure air will undo all of their work to enslave and convince the world that there is no point in resisting, nothing worthwhile to aim for, no meaning to be found in life.

That is why we as Superversives applaud Alma for her stand, and strive to create beauty, serve the truth and bring hope through our creations, whether they be poetry, prose, song, story, painting, sculpture, or any other art form.

The source of all beauty, hope, truth and love stands with us, and He is stronger than the world.

 

*update* found the source of the second quote and added the video

A Call Upon the Spirit

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As the new year approaches, I am posting my entry to this year’s contest of the Society of Classical Poets, on their chosen themes of an open letter to the Library of Congress to restore the recognition of rhymed verse, warning against the dangers of socialism and defending the importance of beauty in art. A Call Upon the Spirit

There’s a call upon the spirit
Of the people of this land,
Each time their freedom’s threatened,
To lift their heads and stand

To fight against the tyrant,
And bring his hubris low;
To show we will not follow
Down the path he wants to go.

The siren song of envy,
That socialists employ,
Lures weak minds down the path of death
And robs the world of joy.

Sculpted, metered, rhyming verse
Is looked at with a sneer;
Higher thoughts and beauty
Are made to disappear.

Pure filth is praised as artistry,
Pure lies as brave and good,
‘Til every conscience has shut down
And every heart craves blood.

They long to lunge in lockstep
To skewer noble hearts;
Their violence always ‘justified’
Because it’s just the start

Of a new utopia
That never quite arrives;
So carry on the slaughter,
Who knows? You might survive.

Dehumanizing spitefulness
Takes its taxing toll;
People are God’s handiwork,
Not worthless lumps of coal

For feeding hellish fires on earth
To get your petty way;
Don’t gloat about such victories,
For soon will come the day

When the truth is known and all
Those plans have come to naught,
There won’t be any refunds
For the people that you bought.

Higher ways are open
To all those with eyes to see;
A glimpse of heaven has the power
To set your spirit free

To echo heroes from the past,
From their examples learn;
The greatest future you can make
Is one that you have earned;

To dig down to the bedrock
Of age-old, solid truth,
With which we can inspire all
The flower of our youth,

That they might stand amidst the storm,
Protect the weak and frail;
See through the lies of bullies,
Recover when they fail,

Regain their feet when worlds collapse,
Rebuild a nation strong,
Withstand temptations to conform
To simply get along.

Restore the place of worthy verse
With cadence and with rhyme;
Inspiring common man to be
A hero for all time.

No convoluted bitter fog
To cause the young dismay,
But clear and hopeful, noble light
To help you find your way.

Instead of sordid clumps of woes,
A city on a hill
With towers tall and solid walls
And bright lights burning still.

Inviting all and sundry
To be all that they can be,
And emulate the gentlefolk
Who faced their destiny

With open eyes and hearts aflame,
Bruised and yet unbowed;
Despite their fears down through the years
They did declare aloud,

“The lessons of our history
Will no more be ignored;
The shrieks of mobs and demagogues
Will not undo the law.

Rise up in love and brotherhood
To face the shameless foe
Who advocates for squalor
And loves to pigeonhole

Each man into a rabid tribe
To which he must conform,
Reciting every shibboleth
And joining every swarm

Of violence and hatred of
Today’s appointed prey
For having the audacity
To think and hope and pray.

Beauty, faith and reason
Will guide us on our way
Towards the new horizon
Of bright eternal day.

Greetings From Draishire Castle!

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As some of you may know, today is my 40th birthday, and to celebrate, I have placed Nobility Among Us on a Kindle countdown deal, so the kindle e-book version is now available for only 99 cents at amazon.com  until the end of the month. Before this deal runs out, Selected Verse: Faith and Family will also go on sale for 99 cents from the 28th of November to the 4th of December.

 

Unbeknownst to me, my awesome wife planned a surprise romantic long weekend away to Draishire Castle (in this timeline known as Chateau Hluboka), so I am appropriately writing this post from the shadow of the beautiful castle itself.

 

More pictures from our trip to the castle can be found here

Waterfall

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Tumbling sunlit turbulence shedding rainbows in its wake,

Inviting travellers to stop a while and take a break.

Its soothing roar creates a cloud of sweet nutritious mist,

Soaking vibrant greenery as if all freshly kissed.

 

Luscious churning, dancing foam invites you to dive in,

Massage yourself with bubbles and invigorate your skin.

Fresh aerated water in which the salmon thrive,

A dip into the cooling depths will make you feel alive.

 

The crystal clear pure water looks heavenly to drink,

The kind that really clears your head and frees your mind to think.

Put me beside a waterfall, I’m at peace all day;

I hope the River of pure Life has some along the way.

Beauty’s Message

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To what does purest beauty bear witness in its prime?

What message does it send to us that transcends space and time?

That we are not the pinnacle of all there is to be;

There are higher things than us, a land beyond the sea;

 

That greater things await us than the universe contains,

Sights and joys that will outmeasure all our trials and pains;

Deeper truths and loves than we could dare to dream,

Resplendent life abundant by a holy healing stream.

 

All flowing from the source of all, who we’ll see face to face

Where holiness is merged with love as justice is with grace.

There is our true purpose, there is our true home,

That is why down here on earth our hearts will always roam.