Nathan Leshley
Ballad of Leipsig
A THOROUGH OBSESSION
DROVE THE MASTER
EACH NOTE RETRACING
THE PATH BACK TO GLORY
A FIERY STREAM INTERWOVEN
WITH JEWELED DIGNITY
HEAVEN’S KAPELLMEISTER
AND FATHER OF OUR REVERED HERITAGE
THE SONG IN EDEN
WAS TAUGHT BY ANGELS
WHO WERE ROBED IN SPLENDOR
FROM A MOUNTAIN OF FIRE
THE MELODY HIDES
IN A HOLY LAW
TO BE DUG UP
AN EMBER AND A FIREBRAND
THEY SINGE
I VIEWED THEIR STRANGE AURA
BRAIDED AND DUSTY
OLD AS THE STARS
SOWN WITH LIFE
DEATH AND GRIEF
OF MUCH WE ENDURE
FURIOUSLY
ONES WITH HIS NAME
READ TO TAKE STRENGTH
BY OUR HOLY OIL
REST, REACT
EACH SONG YOU TELL
TO BRING NEW JOY
DOES A REVERENT TOUCH
LIMIT A GRASP
OF GREATER WRITING
FEAR IS MADE TO
INTREAT BACH’S FAVOR
WHEN HE, HE PURGED FEAR
SHEM GAVE THE TENTS
LIVE ONES
ABLE TO SATE JAPHETH
PLOW-RUINED TURF
NEW CORN
AT LIVING, FALSITY FAILS
SONG WARMS
MAN’S WARPED HEART
BACH’S PUT AMEN BREATH
INTO HIS MUSIC
HE UNGLUED NATIVE PAIN
BY REEDS
OR SUPERB MELODY
OR FIRE
SWEETNESS
TEARS
THIRST
SAD DAYS
HARD EARTH
SHORT MAZE
REVIVAL
GOD’S RETURN ON EARTH
PAIN DEEPENS NIGHT
THE SOUL HOPES
TO NO LONGER NEED
WE WALK IN HUNGER
AFTER DULL MILES
WEAKEN FAITH
HURT ECHOES THE
DRY SHADOWS
DECOYS SPEAK
TO BLIND EYES
A DIMMED HEAVEN
THAT ALL YEARN FOR
NOTES OF SUPERNAL SONGS
PULL EFFICIENTLY
UP TO GOD
NO LEAVEN
AMONG HIS SAINTS
A TYPE OF GLORIFIED BODY
ORION PEOPLE
FLOWN ABOVE SHAME
REVEALED BY EIGHTS
CAMPHOR LIMITS PAIN
A MELODY EFFECTS HEALING
SONG IS FIRE IN THE CAMP
BACH’S LOSS
HIS CRUEL MUSE
OUR BEAUTIFUL GAIN
SHINING IN PURE LIGHT
JOY BECKONS
A SURRENDER TO
HER HUMBLED WAYS
RESTORES FREEDOM
WASHING OUR SOUL
IN FULL ACCEPTANCE
OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
DUKES BECAME A&R REPS
BOTH PATRONS
OF HIGHER PASSIONS
OF GOLD IDEALS
OF UNIVERSAL THOUGHTS
COMPOSERS CAN DRAW
LIVING SOUND
FROM DEAD NOISE
THE EAR IS THE PALETTE
MIXING WAVES TOGETHER
FOR THE MIND’S GALLERY
THE RIGHT BRAIN
PAYS THE ENTERPRISE
IMAGINATION
IS THE COVER CHARGE
A FUGUE IS A NETWORK
LINKING PAST, FUTURE
HEART, THOUGHT
ADAM, ABEL
WAY TO GROW
BY HEARING GOD
FEW CAN WADE IN
GREED ABLATES
DURABLE FAITH
GOD CAN REDEEM
GRAND SONGS OF ARES
DAYS AMID BLUE AIR
A GIFT
AND A DEBT
DO WE CHOOSE
OR DO WE HEAR?
Put text into 156x11 Matrix (1716 letters)
Image: 1st staff line from Bach’s Little Fugue in G Minor
Subtext 1 {Green}: HE SAID: THE LORD CAME FROM SINAI AND REVEALED HIMSELF TO ISRAEL FROM SEIR. HE APPEARED IN SPLENDOR FROM MOUNT PARAN, AND CAME FORTH WITH TEN THOUSAND HOLY ONES. WITH HIS RIGHT HAND HE GAVE A FIERY LAW TO THEM. (Deuteronomy 33:2 NET)
Subtext 2 {Blue}: G, D, B, A, G, B, A, G, F, A, D, G, D, A, D, B, A, G, A, D, G, D, G, A, D, A, B, A, G, A, D, D, C (note names for first staff line in Bach’s Little Fugue in G Minor)
Nathan Leshley is a newly published poet from Spokane, Washington. A converted lyricist entering the world of poetry, he embeds visual themes and imagery within the texts of his works.