Recondita Armonia

Recondita Armonia

It took an opera,
a composer's life and beauty
bursting forth with melody within him.
Then from the scaffold, Mario the painter sees
discovery of harmony upon cathedral walls,
and in his song we know the dawn of tragedy
already present in the darkness
that emerges from his brush; it is in contrast,
strange as it may be, that creation,
the source and object of his love, 
will glorify.

There is no escape! The hallelujahs
echo still across the centuries
and knowledge of the tears,
the toil,
the blood,
will not suppress the triumph of their art.

In desperation it is we
who need the punishment that rewards our peace.
Indeed it is the coup de grace
for humankind; it feeds us, seals the years,
and opens up the gracious gates
of larger life that makes a masterpiece
of dreams.

For Mario and Tosca, it is the harmony
of contrast leading
to the unity of love and lovers--
life in one brief flash of time,
and capped in unknown ecstasy
with an eternity of death.
      ~
Copyright © | Year Posted 2014


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Date: 5/13/2014 1:07:00 PM
I love , love this aria...a wonderful aria..have you ever heard Jose Carreras sing it..? Its hard to find so maybe not..but its spectacular. Everything he sings is spectacular. Loved your poem. BG
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Ludden Avatar
Robert Ludden
Date: 5/13/2014 1:34:00 PM
Thanks. I like Domingo better, though. But Puccini is certainly the master of melody
Date: 5/13/2014 12:04:00 PM
Beautiful! To make a masterpiece of dreams. That caught me and held me. I need to know more about what you are referring to.... Forgive my ignorance...I only know so much in the field of art. I would look it up but I'm busy correcting essays and outlines. Great write. I enjoyed your last post. I'm off on a trip to Germany in two days time to celebrate my birthday. Will get to those earlier writes when I can..
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Manassian Avatar
Eileen Manassian
Date: 5/13/2014 12:33:00 PM
Oh...Tosca should have rung a bell. I'm such an idiot! I had a feeling I was floundering there, but had no time to get the info I needed! Thank you for the explanation, Robert. You are a very knowledgeable man! :)
Ludden Avatar
Robert Ludden
Date: 5/13/2014 12:23:00 PM
I hope you have a great time on your trip. The opera Tosca has a simple construction of plot, but it is Cavaradossi's opening aria that is most important to the poem-- about the harmony of contrasts. That, and paradox is a constant preoccupation with me. and its fascination grabs me constantly in poetry.
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