Author Archives: Dr. Crystal Grimes

Music, Elemental #Music #Poem

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Download “Music, Elemental” Mp3

I wrote this
poem
7 years ago to the day, on May 17, 2014. I didn’t realize that until just now!

This reading is with Koshi chimes. These are beautiful handmade chimes from France that correspond to the elements of Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. They can be used as windchimes, but they are not made with tubes of various lengths suspended from their own cords.

Instead, there is one resonance cylinder, slightly larger than a soda can. There is a cord welded into the top to hold or hang the chime. Then, inside are small, round metal bars of different lengths that create the 8 notes of each tuning.

There is a clapper–I don’t know what else to call it–that hangs freely in the middle of the tube. This is what plays the notes as you move the chime. It’s a really interesting design!

These chimes are lovely to simply listen to, but also great for meditation or, in this case, reading poetry.

I play the chimes in the following order, according to the lines/mood of the poem:
Terra (Earth)
Aqua (Water)
Ignis (Fire)
Aria (Air)
Ignis (Fire)
Aria (Air)
Aqua (Water)
Ignis (Fire)

I really enjoy the Koshi Chimes and hope you enjoy this reading!

“The Sweet By-and-by” #Music

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Download “The Sweet By-and-by” Mp3

This hymn was first published in 1868, with lyrics by S. Fillmore Bennett and music by Joseph P. Webster. It is still a popular traditional Christian hymn that appears in many modern hymnals. I’ve always found it comforting and peaceful.

Today, enjoy ukulele and viola, then compare the sounds of double strung harp, lyre, harp again, and last but not least, zither. Though these instruments are similar, they have different sound qualities. You will hear some slight buzzing in the harp recording, because I misplaced the microphone. My apologies!

Did you know? There are 98 strings in this arrangement! The harp has 23 strings on each side, for a total of 46. The lyre and zither each have 22 strings. Ukulele and viola have 4 strings each. That’s a lot of strings to tune!

I do hope you enjoy this hymn!

“Little Boat” #Meditation #Music

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Download “Little Boat” Double Strung Harp Meditation Mp3

Length: About 5 minutes

Today we revisit “Little Boat,” a song I wrote last year and tested with lyre and zither together. You can find that mp3 and a link to the lyrics
here.

This version is a longer, more meditative instrumental on double strung harp. But with a twist. You also hear both chambers of the Coda EDC Flute, a cowrie shell shaker, and the Koshi Aqua (water) chime.

In replaying the pieces from my lyre-and-zither Double Strung Experiment series, I wanted to showcase the true double strung harp without boring you. So, I added a few other instruments.

I hope you enjoy this arrangement! I think it turned out pretty well, myself! Please share any comments, questions, or other feedback you may have, even simply whether you liked or disliked the piece! Thanks for listening!

What Have I Done? #Decima #Poem

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I ask myself: What have I done
For Good alone and not my whim?
When have I gone out on a limb
To show “another” we are One?
Not for a list of races run,
Not for a trophy on the wall;
But in the Service, large or small,
Of Life that lives and loves and breathes
Vibrations to realities!
What have I done for One, the All?

http://ronovanwrites.com/2021/05/12/ronovan-writes-decima-poetry-challenge-prompt-no-57-whim-in-the-b-rhyme-line/

Returned #Decima #Poem

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O thank you, neighbor! You are gold!
You brought back what belongs to me!
I didn’t feel and cannot see
Its whereabouts remained untold.
Your kindness warms me from the cold,
Frustration, anger, worry, pain.
A rainbow’s promise after rain.
A simple shining slice of sun
Shown outward by the good you’ve done.
My turn will come to do the same!

—-
The positive outcome to my prior Decima for Ronovan’s challenge this week:

https://ronovanwrites.com/2021/05/05/ronovan-writes-decima-poetry-challenge-prompt-no-56-gold-in-the-a-rhyme-line/