Category Archives: Mp3

Rippling Cascade #Writephoto #Music #Poem

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Poem and musical meditation for
Sue Vincent’s #Writephoto prompt, Cascade.

I play the meditation on zither (also called a plucked psaltery or lap harp). Improvisation in the Lydian mode, for those who want to know. 🙂 More importantly, Ripply is the zither’s name, so it was the natural (read: only) choice for this meditation. Please feel free to download and share the mp3!

Rippling Cascade

Water ripples, water flows,
Though we can’t see where it goes.
From the hallowed hidden falls
Back into the Source of All.

Let your body be at ease.
Leave your manic mind in peace.
Safe from rushing here and there,
Now releasing every care.

Feel the rippling water soft,
Taking all the edges off.
Ragged-rough to round and smooth,
Let it cradle, let it soothe.

All the tension you have held
Fades away and gently melts.
You surrender every stress,
Giving thanks for needed rest.

In your mind you find a place
Where the water fills the space.
Deep, renewing, healing womb,
This is your creative room.

All your passions, dreams and play
Come alive again today.
They are not gone; they are not lost.
They are yours, Love pays the cost.

Let the water take your fears,
Loneliness and every tear.
Give your doubts and questions up,
Rippling Spirit fills your cup.

Water comes and water goes,
Urging things to die, or grow.
If there’s something you must leave,
Let it go, and then receive.

For unto you the water comes
To show you where you’re really from:
Made of Spirit more than bone,
Always with you, not alone.

And this body that you wear?
Water is its substance fair.
So let the rippling changes be;
Your Essence: Truth, Eternal, Free!

Water ripples, water flows,
Though we can’t see where it goes.
From the hallowed hidden falls
Back into the Source of All.

Bunessan/Morning Has Broken #Music #Mp3

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“Bunessan” is a traditional Scottish Gaelic tune. In the United States at least, it is better known as the melody of the hymns “Morning Has Broken” and “Child in a Manger.” The 1931 lyrics of “Morning Has Broken” are still under copyright, but we’re free to play “Bunessan” to our hearts’ (and zither’s!) content. Enjoy!

For the Beauty of the Earth #Music #Mp3

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“Dix” is the original title of this melody. It was composed by Conrad Kocher in 1838. The lyrics were written by Folliott Sandford Pierpoint in 1863. Though the text has been set to other melodies, Kocher’s tune is perhaps the most common. It’s the one I learned as a child, and I play it here on lyre. Enjoy, and please share!

Earth Day Gift #Music #Poem

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Happy Earth Day, everyone!

Please read on for today’s poem. But first, here is a free download of my original album, Mother Nature Sings.

Click the link below to download and save the zip file, containing 13 mp3’s.
Mother Nature Sings

Album Description

Celebrating Nature and Goddess as the divine feminine. Not just for women, but women especially enjoy these.

This is an acoustic solo album with ukulele, voice, and some nature sounds. “Wishing Well” also has recorder. 🙂 Musical styles include meditative/New Age, folk, Hawaiian, bluegrass, jazz, spoken-word poetry, and more.

Track listing

1. Instrument of Peace
2. Wishing Well
with recorder
3. Live like a Leaf
4. Song of the Sea
5. Cricket
with natural cricket chirp
6. Woman
7. Really Been Loved
8. Phoenix Rising
9. Thank You, Mother Earth
10. Peace, Be Still
with natural ocean tide
11. Wings of Autumn
12. One in You
13. Singing Sweet

I hope you enjoy this album! If you do, please share this post.

Now for today’s poem.

Our Giving Earth

Our Earth keeps giving us so much,
Not least water that is a must,
The food we eat so we may live,
The air, its breath a precious gift.

The birds who sing in trees and sky,
The breezes through the trees that sigh,
Each lovely flow’r to see and smell,
A gift that wishes only well.

The Winter, Summer, Fall and Spring
Come bringing changes pondering.
We take for granted time and place,
But Earth deserves our thanks and praise.

Creator in us and above
Has made for us our Earth to love.
So may we shine the Light of Heav’n
On all our bless’d Earth has given!

Hope Medley #Music #Mp3

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This hopeful medley on zither contains
Hatikvah (The Hope)
and
Whispering Hope.

You can find their histories and lyrics at the links above. May this arrangement bring you hope!

“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –
–Emily Dickinson

How Great Thou Art #Music #Mp3

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Continuing to share nature themed hymns, here is “How Great Thou Art,” played on zither. The music is a traditional Swedish melody. An 1885 poem by Carl Boberg became the lyrics, originally written in Swedish and later translated into German and Russian. As well-known as the English translation has become, it wasn’t translated until 1925, with another translation in 1949.

I hope you enjoy my zither arrangement, and feel free to share it with others!

“Dayenu” It Is Enough! #Passover #Music #Mp3

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Here is a Passover song, popular at Jewish-American seders. It’s arranged for a small, 15-string zither, and you may
contact me
for a free tutorial if you want to learn it by ear.

I first heard this song in an Elementary School music class. At the time I didn’t know its significance, but I loved it. The next time I heard it was during a self-study Hebrew course, when I purchased CD’s of Jewish children’s music. I’ve always found music and singing to be helpful in learning languages. I’d forgotten about the song in the intervening years, but it showed up again when I was looking for Passover music. My heart leapt, “I remember that song!”

As this
history
points out, “It’s rare to hear people say, when commenting on a blessing in their lives, “It’s enough.”

Don’t miss this fun version by the Maccabeats:

Whether you’re celebrating Passover or not, may you realize, not intellectually but spiritually, that wherever you are and whatever you have right now, it’s enough!

For the Birds #Poem #Music #Meditation

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Here’s a musical meditation on zither, and a Tritina (poem) that is as much for us as it is for the birds!

Through your singing you speak
Sharing peace, hope and love
With your tweets and warbles.

But it’s not just your warbles
It’s the message you speak
Can it teach me to love?

Do you know hate? No, love!
Must I learn your warbles
So I can gently speak?

Or can I speak love without warbles?

“This Is My Father’s World” #Music #Mp3

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You’ve probably heard this well-known hymn in praise of the vast world of nature that God created. Maltbie Davenport Babcock, a minister, wrote the lyrics as a 16-stanza poem. It was first published in 1901, after his death.

In 1915, Franklin L. Sheppard chose 3 verses for the hymn and set them to the tune “Terra Beata,” meaning “Blessed Earth” in Latin.

Please enjoy my lyre arrangement, and feel free to download and share the mp3!