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
