Words are meaningful sounds - even Aristotle could not deny that. But rarely both components, that of sound *and* meaning, are coming together so beautifully as in these poems by @evelina-miteva and @Augenmerk

While  their voices and ways of phrasing make them come alive as musical pieces in their own right, I'm very grateful for the opportunities to converse with them.

Poetic Conversations - with Evelina and Augenmerk

Voice and Words: @Augenmerk
Guitar: Going Loopy

I was and am absolutely thrilled by many of the collaborations between Karin (@Augenmerk) and other musicians. (Here is one of my favourites:  https://soundcloud.com/augenmerk/stay-open-for-the-farewellbleib-fur-den-abschied-offen-peter-vigl-sax)
Karin's poems are very moving in themselves, but her voice and phrasing make them come alive as musical pieces in their own right.  I am often stunned how her collaborators manage to join or transform them. Thus, I found the prospect of contributing to this open collaboration enormously exciting, but also a bit intimidating. So I am very glad to see your friendly responses.

***

Here is a translation from the German:
"These days I am swamp, I’m mountain and dale.
I’m deep, I’m steep, I’m dumb and deaf,
my word gets lost on me.
Landslide is, the year of power passed.
Screens of fog run through me
till blind and dark I touch the ground,
still resisting.

How may my shield break away
without pervading sun,
without meadows floating me green
and water that allays?
Who climbs free, once my vision has gone
and my strength has turned?
Where to tears me the war?

Scarce years at the bottom of breath -
I’m clouds, I’m abyss and sea.
Demons and angels rise
My light fades and glints
Years run through me
Caught in a circle I surround me
The world’s beauty mere sensing
Busy life far away.

Has the wall penetrated me,
leaning me bare against the cleft?
I’m falling not knowing the end.
But in the thick of it you cannot get out.
At times the world reaches hands to me,
at times a river flows through,
sometimes voices.
My inner eyes still weighty with tears.

You filled me full, life, glass from which I drink,
Now I’m the mountain that I ascend.
I’m the canyon into which I jump.
My own dance has changed and emptied me.
Silence yet.

Are you quiet, world?
Another door is opening, another view.
Accordance now
between soles and the ground,
Confine myself to one step, in which I’m whole.
And within me one wakes up,
whose dance is not exhausted yet,
but innocent and loud.

Here, this bird is mine and his tone am I.
I extend these wings, I paint him colourful.
I throw him the flight.
I raise him out of flames, out of calm waiting.

Behind the dark horizon there is the sun.
The sun-hour clears and the nightbark lands.
The silent sea sets me free
into a new measure of time.
My step has got other tracks."

Diese Tage (Augenmerk & Going Loopy)

Words and voice: @Augenmerk
Guitar and piano: Going Loopy

Translation & Text (Augenmerk)

Part 1:
My head a swaying dance ship, and I am a passenger, a dancer on the high seas with swell, which has already driven the other guests, if they exist at all, to the railing to disgorge. Rather, I am still the only remaining passenger on the ship, who realizes that the crew has disappeared and now all tasks are to be taken over by him as soon as possible, because otherwise? Otherwise? I don’t know. Day, what else?

Mein Kopf ein schwankendes Tanzschiff, und ich Passagier, Tänzerin auf hoher See mit Seegang, der die anderen Gäste, falls es sie überhaupt gibt, längst schon an die Reling vertrieben hat, sich zu übergeben. Eher noch bin ich am Schiff einzig gebliebener Fahrgast, dem klar wird, dass auch die Mannschaft verschwunden und nun alle Aufgaben von ihm selber schnellstens zu übernehmen sind, denn sonst? Sonst? Ich weiß es nicht. Tag, was ist sonst?

Part 2:
And answer me: Nothing. There is no doom, only the well-known happenings, which slowly and rowing with my fears take me out into the open sea, where octopuses expect me in many-armed symphony of perdition. However, it is time to change the perspective / line of gaze, pushing a draft obliquely through layers into the not yet painted. A weather condition which changes the course, in which as under hypnosis, the captain, taxwoman, instructor, the beating, fearful heart, blinded in the fog only face with a narrow view of the tube to exactly that sea cutout, that predicts the doom dark and menacing.
Enlarge the tube. Remove the restrictive monocular. Recognize that any small section that was considered a reality, a point only, tiny zone in immeasurable variety of possibilities. That I was deceived, hypnotized on exactly one thing, to inflict the greatest possible damage to me.
And now? I turn slowly around my axis and let my eyes wander. Everywhere my gaze clungs to, it goes deep into it, and I see that in the respective point entry into spheres, zones, layers, which bring life, my life-boat, no longer in logical references causally from one point to the next. It seems, …

Und antworte mir: gar nichts. Kein Untergang, nur das bekannte Geschehen, das langsam und an meinen Ängsten rudernd ins offene Meer hinausführt, wo mich Kraken in vielarmiger Untergangssinfonie erwarten. Doch ist es an der Zeit, die Blickrichtung zu ändern, schräg durch Schichten ins noch nicht Gemalte einen Entwurf zu schieben. Eine Wetterlage, die den Kurs ändert, in dem wie unter Hypnose die Kapitänin, Steuerfrau, Instrukteurin, das schlagende, ängstliche Herz, im Nebel geblendet nur mehr einen engen Röhrenblick auf genau den Meeresausschnitt richten, der Untergang dunkel und bedrohlich prophezeit.
Die Röhre vergrößern. Das einengende Monokular weglegen. Erkennen, dass jeder kleine Ausschnitt, der als Wirklichkeit galt, ein Punkt nur, winzige Zone in unermesslicher Vielfalt von Möglichkeiten. Dass ich einer Täuschung unterlag, hypnotisiert auf genau Eines zusteuerte, mir größtmöglichen Schaden zuzufügen.
Und jetzt? Ich drehe mich langsam um meine Achse und lasse den Blick schweifen. Überall, wo er sich festhakt, geht es tief hinein, und ich sehe, dass im jeweiligen Punkt Eintritt in Sphären, Zonen, Schichten, die das Leben, mein Lebensschiff, nicht mehr in logischen Bezügen kausal von einem Punkt zum nächsten bringen. Es scheint, …

Mein Kopf (Augenmerk & Going Loopy)

Es scheint (Augenmerk & Going Loopy)

Voice & Words: @evelina-miteva
Guitars: Going Loopy

***
From the Bulgarian by the author:

Bread for dreamers

Someone has sown wheat.
Then another man passed and sawed ​​poppies.
And those winds,
swaying poppies and wheat,
Who sowed them?
I don't dare imagine what shall we will reap
and what bread shall we make
from wheat, poppies and wind.

***
earth in earth
palm in the palm
line into line
road in the road

world in the world
fire in fire
language in language
snake in snake

heart in apple
apple in milk
milk in the seed
seed in the dust

***
Home Witch

I wanted to learn
how to make spells. Like this.
I breathe love -
exhaled wind,
stir potions.
Mint, lemon balm and honey.
I make spells, love, stars,
banats, laundry, warm soups.
The wind blows me, the leaves chase me,
but I do not give in - I put those too
in the cupboard with the memories and the tea.

***
Хляб за мечтатели

Някой е посял жито.
После е минал друг и посял макове.
А тези ветрове,
разлюляли макове и жита, 
тях кой ги е сял?
Не ми се мисли какво ще жънем
и какъв хляб ще месим
от жито, мак и вятър.

***
земя в земята
длан в дланта
лния в линията
път в пътя

свят в света
огън в огъня
език в езика
змия в змия

сърце в ябълка
ябълка в мляко
мляко в семе
семе в пръстта

***
Домашна вещица

Исках да се науча
как се правят магии. Ето така.
Вдишвам любов – 
издишвам вятър,
забърквам отвари.
Мента, маточина и мед.
Въртя магии, любов, звезди,
баници, пране, топли супи.
Вятър ме вее, листа ме гонят,
но аз не се давам – прибирам и тях

For Dreamers (Evelina & Going Loopy)

Voice and words: @Augenmerk
Guitars: Going Loopy


Foggy looks
Push the wall away,
that comes too close to me, binds me.
Probably rather: extinguishes ?!
Spoil of space, where nothing escapes.
Sucks, devours.
Ground fog creeping into feet and rising,
the head does not separate from itself anymore.
Am I misted? Woozy? Am I fog?
Am I the child in clouds?
My buzzard is circling,
Mood that creates my will.
There is lack of space and free seating

German text:

Nebelblicke
Die Wand wegdrücken,
die mir zu nahe kommt, mich bindet.
Wohl eher: tilgt?!
Flächenrausch, dem nichts entrinnt.
Saugt ein, verschlingt.
Bodennebel, der in Füße kriecht und steigt,
den Kopf nicht mehr trennt von sich selbst.
Bin ich umnebelt? Benebelt? Bin Nebel?
Bin ich das Kind in Wolken?
Mein Mäusebussard kreist,
Laune, die mein Wollen schafft.
Platznot ist und freie Platzwahl

Nebelblicke (Augenmerk & Going Loopy)

Voice & words by @augenmerk
Sample from keys by Martin Reed: @its-tophonicus
Guitars by Going Loopy

SPOKEN WORDS & TRANSLATION

Mit der Königsdisziplin vertraut werden, dem Feind die Hand reichen, der Liebe ins Wort schauen, mein Herzwohl in den Raum öffnen und verzichten auf das Normale, vergessen, was normal war, mein Jetzt, das Katastrophale, ins Licht stellen, anvertrauen, übergeben, die Sichel vom Nacken nehmen, den Brand von den Flammen lösen, Abschied nehmen vom Gewohnten, ich werde diesen Weg gehen.

To become familiar with the supreme discipline, shake hands with the enemy, intervene/look in the word of love, open my heart's well into space and forgo the normal, forget what was normal, put my now, the catastrophic, into the light, entrust, surrender, take the sickle off the neck, part the fire from the flames, say goodbye to the usual, I will go this way.

PLEASE read the following explanatory note by Augenmerk:

We create a LOVE NET by making "chains", adding the own love music and vocals to music or vocals that are already in the playlist. Feel free to use any existing part in love and respect, and remix, develep, continue, add ... the aim is to let chains grow and spread to a net. in order to that it makes sense to keep the parts short, that is possible to hear longer chains. it would be lovely to hear love messages in may languages. Please copy the description in your description, that it can go on, and when publishing please make it downloadable for others.
1. download an existing chain or single part
2. add yours
3.publish all together including the description in your description

thank you!!! if anybody has the idea how to explain this better, i am thankful for it.

Riders in the storm use their wings from heart to heart. No borders. Become familiar with the supreme discipline. The heaven is possible. These times want voices, bridges, roads of love. At the beginning there was the word, I'm not sure, but here it is. Be fantastic and ride! People around the world, artists, musicians, vocalists, participate in your own way, style and language. Spread and connect. Be riders in the storm!
here is the link to the project: soundcloud.com/augenmerk/sets/invitation-open-love-collab
The idea is creating a grid, everybody can connect wherever she/he likes, at any station of the net, with his/her music and words of love and peace, anybody can use any part of the whole and remix, develop, conbine, connect, where he wants, all is open to all - if we all make it downloadable it works. You can use my words and my translation, or not, and i would love to hear your voices, spoken, sung. and if anyone would like to read my text in English that would be lovely. the idea is: we can all be neighbours. you can choose from whom you take the last tones and to whom you bring yours'. Each part could be as short as you want, but not longer than about 2 minutes. So at the very beginning there are my words, but then the beginning can be anywhere. You can participate several times too.Please inform me when you have published the Chain with your part in it and i will collect the CHAINS in a playlist, and please write my description in your description. and add your description, whatever, RIDERS IN THE LIGHT FROM HEART TO HEART. A Net can grow in any direction. Much love to all. Karin

"Den Brand von den Flammen lösen" (Augenmerk & Martin Reed & Going Loopy)

Voice & Words: @evelina-miteva
Guitars: Going Loopy

This is my contribution to Evelina's open collaboration. Do check out the original vocal track: https://soundcloud.com/evelina-miteva/july
Feel free to download if you want to take it further:) Please notify me if you upload your version.
***
From the Bulgarian by the author:

July

What is god, what are the gods.
A shadow, going down the way.
A breeze, torn off the branches.
Bread, baked early in the morning,
And that sour cherry, slowly ripening,
As I am passing, on my way to the bakery,
As I am passing - light as breeze,
Invisible to the summer, a tall shadow,
as I am passing through God's morning.
***

Юли

Какво е бог, какво са боговете.
Сянка, потеглила по пътя.
Повей, откъснал се от клоните.
Хляб, изпечен рано сутрин,
И вишната, която бавно се налива,
Докато минавам, на път към фурната,
Докато минавам – лека като повея,
Невидима за лятото, издължена сянка,
докато минавам в божието утро.

July (Evelina & Going Loopy)

"Eva" is an advanced sketch of "Eve"

Voice & Words: @evelina-miteva
Guitars: Going Loopy

Eve
Then, the following day all was white with snow
And flushed with light.
It’s over, I thought, this is the end,
One has suffered – suffering it was.
One has loved – love it was.
Now we are all in heaven
Celebrating Christmas every day;
Every day we love each other,
We eat moderately,
We cry (probably with joy) for our dearest ones.
There is no darkness, nor suffering
And all is white, flushed with light.
If it weren’t for these vague dreams –
Passions – apples - tempter -
Even I could have found peace,
Even for me there could have been a Saviour.

(translated by Yuliana Todorova)
***

Ева
И на другия ден всичко бе бяло.
И обляно от светлина.
Всичко свърши, си казах, дойде краят.
Който страдал – страдал,
който обичал – обичал.
Сега всички сме на небето
и празнуваме всеки ден Коледа;
всеки ден се обичаме,
ядем умерено,
плачем (вероятно от радост) за ближния.
Няма мрак, няма страдание
и всичко е бяло, обляно от светлина.
Да не бяха тези неясни сънища –
страсти – ябълки – изкусител –
дори аз бих открила покой,
дори за мен би се намерил Спасител.

*forthcoming in the collection "Courtyard of peace" (Двор на спокойствието), by Scalino Publishing.

Eva (Evelina & Going Loopy)

Voice & Words: @evelina-miteva
Guitars: Going Loopy

Spring Sky (Evelina & Going Loopy)

Voice & Words: @evelina-miteva
Guitars: Going Loopy

Evelina writes about her piece (https://soundcloud.com/evelina-miteva/autumn-verse): 
In the midst of a stressful period of work, right before I give into melancholy, I reach out to you with this nice little verse which I wrote indefinite time ago, then completely forgot about.
It was originally written in Bulgarian, but I translated it also in English and Italian - and so you'll hear it in the recording. I trust in your technical abilities being far superior to mine, so you could basically cut out the piece you like most and use it for your interpretation. Have fun, and a great, calm and beautiful, autumn!

Going Loopy adds: 
I took the liberty to slightly re-arrange the voice recording and add an improvisation, posted during my early days on SC (https://soundcloud.com/martin-lenz-2/dings-2). It's now almost forgotten but I immediately remembered it on hearing Evelina's poem. 

***
// Есенен стих

Утринна мъгла.
В полегналата над земята тишина -
глас на птица.

// Autumn Verse

Morning haze.
In the silence lay resting on the hill -
a bird's voice.

// Verso d'autunno

Nebbia mattutina.
Nel silenzio sdraiato sulla collina -
voce d'uccello.

Autumn Verse (Evelina & Going Loopy)

Voice & Words: @evelina-miteva
Guitars: Going Loopy
***
Go to https://soundcloud.com/evelina-miteva/thegoodswimmer and play along!

The Good Swimmer

Every day at sunrise
He was going out to the beach.
He was stepping into the sea,
His big feet
Groping the cold sand uncertainly.
Carefully through the water, flat in the morning,
Тhen he dived
All at once.
He was taking big strokes with his palms, determind and strong,
To the limit where the waves foam.
The ocean was pushing him back, every day –
But he was a good swimmer.
On the fifth day
He outwitted the ocean, won over the waves holding him back as a firm wall
And found himself in an open sea.
Shrouded in horizon, shrouded in ocean.
And in the next moment – dragged
By the currents, by the deep and the far,
Alone and powerless –
A good swimmer who went too far.
His panicked arms, legs, anything human
Are pushing him back to safety.
But the worst – should he go back?

Добрият плувец

Всеки ден по изгрев слънце
излизаше на плажа.
Влизаше в морето,
големите му стъпала
несигурно опипваха студения пясък.
Внимателно през водата, равна и утринна,
после се гмурваше
целият изведнъж.
Загребваше с големи шепи, с решимост и сила
към предела, където вълните се пенят.
Океанът го избутваше назад, всеки ден,
но той беше добър плувец.
На петия ден
надхитри океана, надви над мощните като стена вълни
и се оказа отвъд, в открито море.
Обвит в хоризонт, обвит в океан.
И в следващия миг – повлечен
от теченията, от дълбокото и далечното,
сам и безсилен,
добър плувец, отишъл твърде далеч.
Панически ръцете, краката, всичко човешко
го тласка да се върне на сигурно.
И по-страшното – да се връща ли?

***
If you have read this far, I might as well tell you that the music I added to Evelina's great peom is my three-year old recording of a piece called "breeze": https://soundcloud.com/martin-lenz-2/breeze

The Good Swimmer (Evelina & Going Loopy)

Voice & Words: @evelina-miteva
Guitars: Going Loopy

https://soundcloud.com/evelina-miteva/sets/march

March

I return to my body -
The rain and the distant sound of the bells
Fall into the soft earth.
The field, drenched with the winter grey,
Is uneven, clods and matted herbs.
The rain, gray and warm,
Falls on me and evaporates,
The field is wrapped in spring vapors.
I return in my body,
soft and elastic, gray by the winter
warm by the spring
wet by the rain -
silent and wise.
***
/Март/

Връщам се в тялото си –
дъждът и далечният звън на камбани
падат в меката пръст,
полето, подгизнало от зимната сивота,
е неравно, буци и залинели треви.
Дъждът, сив и топъл,
пада по мен и се изпарява,
полето е обгърнато в пролетни пари.
Завръщам се в тялото си,
меко и еластично, сиво от зимата,
топло от пролетта,
мокро от дъжд,
мълчаливо и мъдро.

March (Evelina & Going Loopy)

Welcome! If you stick around a bit, you'll find some sketchy sketches of a looping guitarist, interested in minimal music, jazz, fusion etc.
 
I wish I would have thought of saying the following about me, but it was Robert Fripp, and he seems to have had himself in mind: “Music so wishes to be heard that it sometimes calls on unlikely characters to give it voice.”

Oh, and you might wonder why I call my sketches "meta-music". Well, since I am always inspired by others,  I think of my improvisations as music *about other music*, thus meta-music.