There are approximately 6,900 known languages in the world. As an instrument of artistic expression, language can evoke visceral emotions whose essence is, paradoxically, often considered indescribable in words. The vocabulary of every art form, be it language-based, visual, or purely musical, is a means of conjuring a representation of life, a mere echo of actual existence, but one which reveals greater truths about ourselves, and all the terror and beauty we are capable of. These are the universal and mythic themes that have occupied all people, from all cultures, from every era.

The text of this work incorporates brief phrases from poems in more than twenty languages. By splicing these together, I have created a “new” poem, a collage constructed from fragments of both ancient and contemporary poetry. The theme revolves around perhaps the most venerable muse, the moon. Not only is the texture of these juxtaposed lexicons aurally interesting, the result also inherently demonstrates the commonality and consistency of inspiration amongst the diversity of language and culture. Also, representing a variety of nationalities in the service of a common musical goal can be considered a symbolic gesture, especially in these fractious and tumultuous times. 

When exposed to an unfamiliar tongue we are plunged into pure bewilderment, and the simplest exchange seems an insurmountable obstacle. This discomfort may inspire insularity or divisiveness, and can too often underscore our differences. But at the core we are not so dissimilar. All humanity, for time immemorial, has at some point looked into the sky and expressed, in their own way, the beauty of the moon.