Music of the Ancestors

I originally wrote a poem The Voices of the Ancestors for part of a performance piece at the AfrikaBurn Festival in 2012. I recently reworked it so as to be performed within my current music performances.

Soon after re-writing the poem I discovered an incredibly powerful documentary Alive Inside about the effect that music has on dementia and Alzheimer sufferers. This film shows footage of these sufferers totally disconnected with life in the frail care centers across America. They are at first quite lifeless, unresponsive and even angry. One man has a vision to bring these individuals back to a "connectedness" via the listening of music. The people start engaging, smiling, laughing and even dancing again. It makes so much sense that music has this power. But these institutions simply function around the traditional "medication" and dull their senses rather than enlivening them. 

Since watching this film this poem has become even more meaningful for me. I am aware that the poem can come across as quite "New Age". Whatever your taste in poetry, please read it with an open mind and heart.

Music of the Ancestors I

Let the Music of the Ancestors

shake the Walls of our Existence

Let the Music strike Deep into the Heart of our Beings

and sing the Harmonies of Solace into our Souls

Let the Music of the Ancestors

break open over the Plains

and sound over the entire Earth

the Song that sounds in our Dreams

pushes through the Cracks

and clings onto the Marrow

and does not let go

until it transforms our Bodies

into one Transcendental Wave

Let the Music of the Ancestors burn with the Celebration of Breath

burn with the glistening Peaks of Waves

burn with the Memory of Primordial Frequencies

that once reverberated in our Primal Ears

Music sings in One Language

that all Bodies and Souls fathom without rationality

It is the Unrest of Music

that challenges our Sense of Peace

It is the Embrace of Music

that teaches us to stand Together and Love

Music of the Ancestors II

The Vast Space begs to be filled

with that Sweeping Line of Sound

that colours Space with that Wondrous Harmony

that is so strongly at Home in our Souls

Let the Sound of the Music rise

like the Wind rises

rise like the Tide rises

rise like the Flame rises

Let the Music vibrate

Let the Music cascade through our Souls

and let us live livelier than ever before

Let our Music break through the Deserts,

break through the Forests,

break through the Oceans

Let Fish and Bird hear We can

Resonate With Song just as They can do

Silence is blessed

yet Music is more so

It is a Resonating of the Soul

a Baptizing within that Vibration that gives Life

to our Hearts and Minds

Music moves like Flame

searching for Air and when it is released

it gushes forth like a New Spring

Thank you Music for bringing Solace

in the Dark, Cold and Lonely Days

With your Warmth we can believe in our Dreams

with your Light we can see to the Edges of the World