The Clocks (after Verhaeren)

from Chinese New Year and others by David Warin Solomons

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lyrics

Improvisation in whole tone based on the poem by SN Solomons after Verhaeren's Les Horloges

In the dark silence of the home
crutches and walking sticks
go up and down the stairs of time
The clocks
Enamelled flowers, old devices,
Numerals old and lean
On looming lunar faces
May be seen.
Hammer and ratchet, leaden chime
and crafty wooden words.
The conversation of the time may be heard.
Dark time posts in the hall,
Coffins sealed in the wall,
Bones of old time
devoured by the hours,
The clocks, willing and vigilant,
Like ancient servants,
limp in their clogs along the years,
And punctuate my fears.

The original Verhaeren poem:

La nuit, dans le silence en noir de nos demeures,
Béquilles et bâtons, qui se cognent, là-bas ;
Montant et dévalant les escaliers des heures,
Les horloges, avec leurs pas ;

Emaux naïfs derrière un verre, emblèmes
Et fleurs d'antan, chiffres maigres et vieux ;
Lunes des corridors, vides et blêmes,
Les horloges, avec leurs yeux ;

Sons morts, notes de plomb, marteaux et limes,
Boutique en bois de mots sournois
et le babil des secondes minimes,
Les horloges, avec leurs voix ;

Gaines de chêne et bornes d'ombre,
Cercueils scellés dans le mur froid,
Vieux os du temps que grignote le nombre,
Les horloges et leur effroi ;

Les horloges
Volontaires et vigilantes,
Pareilles aux vieilles servantes
Boîtant de leurs sabots ou glissant sur leurs bas,
Les horloges que j'interroge
Serrent ma peur en leur compas.

credits

from Chinese New Year and others, released February 23, 2015

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David Warin Solomons Sale, UK

Composer from UK born in 1953, concentrating on lyrical and tonal works for chamber music combinations, solo voice and choral works.

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