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A Song
by Harold Popp (Author's Note: This was written after I composed a ten-piece work: "Songs from Revelation" for SSAATTBB, soloists, and organ.) The man smiled. At last, the song was completed. His soul was poured into every note and rest--every sound and silence. Nuances, articulations, dynamics appeared as if to verify the truth of deepest expression. The surrounding world stood in wonder and honor, while the silent roar of exuberance invaded spaces left by air moving through humility, grandeur, and the virility of life-giving sustenance. Gone were the scars of self-searching, of agony questioning, disappointments; all were consumed with the gift of grace and the faith of acceptance. Value as ascribed by other souls was nil; only that of the source of all creation stood as a guiding bulwark through the fires of struggles, of existing on a plain beyond the mundane--plumbing an unknown and unrealized depth. Will the song exist outside of the man's mind? Will it be contemplated as an expression of divine exaltation? Or is that a factor of importance to the man? Can a speck of dust create a song acceptable to One in whose image he is created: Which is that of importance? "Sing the song" permeates through the air. "Search for its inner glory!" The wind responds, "Where did you find your expectations? Who was your guide? How did you find the song that was inherent within your psyche? Was it already sung and waiting for you to discover it?" The man thought, and, in thinking, realized that a response of 'yea' or 'nay' could be determinant in the acceptance of the song. Did it evolve from the deepest recesses of his soul? Could he truly claim his creative process as reality? Where does its source lie? Answers would not find their way into the forefront of his thinking easily. How often had he fallen into the impossibility of his unconscious self that refused to be driven by sheer will? In the search for answers, the man revisited the song from outside the song. How could it be that the song arrived, passing into conscious thought and thereby surrendering itself to objective reality? The man detected a thought emerging that fed a clarifying vision. True, the song was completed. Was completion reached through his finite thinking alone? A resounding "NO" echoed through all the fiber of his being. The song encompassed bits and pieces of the infinite that could only occur through the guidance of a spirit beyond the man's limitations. The grasp was beyond the reach. That credence must be acknowledged for the song to maintain its infused luster. In grateful humility, the man bowed and was thankful that being made in the image of his Creator had enabled him to offer the song as an expression by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. As a creation of truth, the man knew it would be acceptable to God, and that was the greatest reward of all! Harold Popp has completed fifty-six years of teaching music and as a university administrator. His experiences include: performing, conducting, composing, writing books and articles, editing, and lecturing. As a trombonist, he has performed extensively in many venues. His compositions have been performed internationally. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |