Spirits Within the Mist (the melody, as I struggle to finish it) | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Recently, I wrote about a lesser know truth that I write poetry - when I was young on scraps of paper - now that I am older, and have the means to database these words in message for all posterity, I do it here. Of late, now that I can play a guitar in a serviceable manner, I will make a form of the poem into a melody.

    Earlier, I spoke of the beginning of a process to write my first song. It is process I aim to continue, and a challenge I intend to complete.

    Below is the initial poem, "Spirits Within the Mist", written on December 27, 2015, and below that shall be my first attempt, on January 10, 2016, to write the song in a more elongated verse, with refrains, and mostly in minor notes/guitar chords, which will evolve, eventually, into something of a more finished product.

    Accordingly, this is my process, as written and recorded for all posterity, here on BCN, and if anyone ever accuses me of plagiarizing anything, ever, within this process, then my record shall be pristine, and stand as perfect evidence of creative originality. This documentation shall be sufficient to create a fundamental record of the process, and the process is, as always, very cool. It is the fun part of it all ... at least for me.

    As my old trig and calculus professor was so bold to strenuously proclaim: "Show your work." I shall do so here and now.

The Pamlico River on a misty December morning: Above.    The trestle over the Pamlico shrouded in that same mist: Below.     photos by Stan Deatherage     Click image to expand.

The Song Version Wrought, beginning June 24, 2017

    On 062417, I felt competent enough, with just a bit of inspiration, to write a rather long intro to this poem to begin its transformation into a melody, or a dirge. The initial chords for this overwrought intro should produce some or most of the notes I might need to write the melody, and then revamp the lyrics as needed. These are some of my favorite chords, but, I might find a few more that I wish to use.

    The following chords to the intro in sequence are: Fmaj7, Cmaj7, Fadd9, Cmaj7, Em7, A7sus4, Am7, Dm7, G7, C, Em7, Am7, F, Em, G, Am, Fadd9, Cmaj7, Am, Em, C, Am, Dm7, Cmaj7, Am, Em, C, Em, Am, Dsus4, Am, Em, Am, Dsus4, Am, Cmaj7, Am ... I pick these chords (12 separate ones) differently each time I play them. As of June 28, 2017, I still have to read the chords from this post, and the pick the notes (I don't use a pick, just the fingers of my right hand). Fortunately, I know the chords well enough to not have to continuously look at the fretboard, and can, instead, read the chords here.

    It begins as an overwrought melody, and will probably finish up as one, but it is the first song that I have ever tried to write, so, I will probably do the second melody differently. One initial practice that I may keep is to write the intro first. It is really helping to form the phrasing of the melody. I hope to find the time to finish it soon, when I find the time and the mood; but, I have much to do, which is my nature.

Spirits Within the Mist

Version II (changes are always inevitable)             lyrics by Stan Deatherage    melody is a work in process by Stan Deatherage

(The) F Spirits G draft A7sus4 within Am a mist C
Em O'er Cmaj7 the river's Fmaj7 plane. Am
Calm, silent, they fetch new moments in time;
Fly wide before the wind and rain.

(The) F Dark beard of G life, A7sus4 a Am gathering cloud; C
Due east in means to roam.
It licks of lightning, in thunderous blasts,
And forebodes an ominous tome.

I've heard it told, a tale so bold,
A kindly spirit - keen and wise;
Roaring wild within, o'er that gentle mist,
Where souls are loosed to rise.

And gathered them well to journey abroad
Along the ethereal plane.
Spent well in life, as humbled in death;
Misty spirits travel its train.

And where they go, no one truly knows;
A truth in death so revealed.
What remains in death, as lost in life;
Broken dreams and a heavenly field.

A field of green and a gentle breeze,
Where goodness is all that reins.
Dreams reborn, well within that river's mist,
Where love's truth abides, and sustains ... and sustains

And held fast, for awhile, in that last refrain;
Life's moment eclipsed by time.
It's lost, it's gained, in a river of rain,
And grace shall show the way.                  - Stan Deatherage, December 27, 2015

The Pamlico River after the storm, in December, at sunset: Below.     photo by Stan Deatherage     Click image to expand.