“Descent Into Heaven, Musical Haiku #41”

Inspiration #1: After My First Skydive

DESCENT INTO HEAVEN by Stephen Melillo     The Faller poured like liquid Sky Down to Ground and Rose To Heaven Above and Below Squeezed in a moment of rushing back to what was Left At the Place where Life and Death danced on one decision To Live   Touching the circle, home again Until the next thunderous whisper from on High When Once More The Faller would Fall Answering the Call Hurling, Swirling to the Light below Spanking the Bottom Left behind For the Dance with The Sky.

Attached is an excellent rendering by Jui-Shuo Chen, one of the fine conducting students from Chia-Song, as he delivers "Descent Into Heaven" in rehearsal. At the beginning, Jui-Shuo reads to the Musicians in Mandarin.

Watch the students’ reactions! They learn this quote in school at an early age. Ah, to be exposed to such Truths at an early age.

Inspiration #2: The Words of Mencius!

“Heaven, when it is about to place a great responsibility on a man, always first tests his resolution, wears out his sinews and bones with toil, exposes his body to starvation, subjects him to extreme poverty, frustrates his efforts so as to stimulate his mind, toughens his nature and makes good his deficiencies. Only then do we realize that anxiety and distress lead to life and that ease and comfort end in death.”

Enjoy & Godspeed! S

Descent Into Heaven on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VZS4FVdDYpM