The Plowman IV Threnody: General Use
The sunrise and sunset are dramatic moments of observation. The Archivist was privileged to observe the sunrise across the face of a red plateau, where the stars are inverted. This structure serves as the basin, botanical garden, hospital, nursery, and (most dear to the Archivist’s Heart), library for the longest unbroken chain of communally conscious beings that are known to The Void. Detail’s of the Archivist’s “Walkingout” may be observed in the season finale of this podcast series.
Observe: there was a hint of frost lingering before the day’s heat began it’s exponential leap forward. In the spirit of community, the Archivist broke a fast for strangers. It will always be coffee for the Archivist, always and forever this prayer, till the end of The Void. The strangers preferred tea and did not care for the selection our guide provided.
In this guide’s eyes, the Archivist witnessed the longest unbroken chain of human suffering that could be experienced before the dawn’s blade breaks ground. The bitter disappointment in knowing yet again a person is too unwilling to recognize a moment is larger than they are even if expectations aren’t met. All suffering is tragedy.
At the center of this red desert is an oasis. At the center of this oasis is a platform at the base of an amphitheater. On this platform is a person who has mastered the art of playing a lacquered instrument carved into a tube from a tree’s body by blowing rhythmically from the diaphragm and creating an air pocket in the cheeks to sustain breath.
The Archivist was curious and spoke to this master, and the master was generous with their time, as a master must be, because mastery is the presence of discipline rather than denial. Afterward, the Archivist flew from the desert to paradise and ate gloriously when the sun rose across white sand and periwinkle oceans. Here, in paradise, at dinner, before the sunset, The Archivist was gifted this instrument under the promise of usage. This promise is kept at the expense of the Archivist’s personal boundary when it comes to learning instruments: “No blowin’ or bowin’, thank you.”
The Archivist is not a master. This work is to commemorate the bitterness of living, which is only one of the 11 senses. To observe mastery of the Threnody form, consult Penderecki. Threnody for/to the Victims of Hiroshima has been used to dramatic effect in cinema on several occasions. There is a danger in appearing crass when used in a manner unbefitting for a work of this magnitude. Two examples of proper use may be found in the Gotta Light episode of “Twin Peaks” and in this playlist. The Archivist humbly submits this lesser work to be used in place of a greater one when the effect is desired, in service of sparing the dignity of a masterpiece.