A reinterpretation of Moonrise Over the Sea by Caspar David Friedrich. Visual and music by RubenFro. Original poem Whaler’s Elegy written and performed by Laurence Fuller ~ Featuring the voice of Cynthia San Luis.
THE WHALER’S ELERGY
by Laurence Fuller
A ship far off across the breached abyss of night
They post their hope to that mast
Which rips through the vast colors of the dawn
The dying flame of his writing candle illuminates the mist
The questioning of morning, and old songs of Glory
The creaking deck like a cello to the angels horn
A young poets journal, now faded and worn,
His diary littered with letters unsent,
Letters to her, about that night before he went
I saw two bright birds out at sea
They parried the waves and dove deep beneath
I pledged when we were just us three
It was the end of this whaler’s elegy
That maiden voyage two nights from now
When I stand upon the bough and watch the shore disappear
With her waving at the peer
My heart would stop if not for this pocket watch
Two hummingbirds adorned and my signature inscribed
Keep it safe and remember me by this keepsake
And with the poet’s journals dim lanterns flicker with dwindling oil
To sea where he may replenish the stock
Where cormorant flies with frost on his beak
Where hot blood fills the sea
That’s where I’ll be
What’s old to us, will be older to them
Remember me by this keepsake
The years have raged on and the sea he rode out in the deep,
While she awaited in waking and sleep
I’ll think of you in the dying light, the moonrise and the frost of night
When that rocking ocean exemplifies my soul
The cold endings of old,
When you look at it you’ll know, my heart still beats for you
Even if those waves pull under to eternity’s ending
Know that the watch keeps ticking
I saw two bright birds out at sea
They parried the waves and dove deep beneath
I pledged when we were just us three
It was the end of this whaler’s elegy
Below is a look at four of the Dissolving Paintings that preceded this piece, all of which are solo works created by Ruben Fro @Ruben_Fro