The Ballad of St. Barbara, and Other Verses

A sweeping, verse‑driven tapestry, the work opens with a haunting hymn to Saint Barbara, the patron of artillery, and quickly pulls the listener into a landscape where ancient ruins, the streets of Paris and the blood‑stained hills of Jerusalem mingle. The language is dense yet musical, weaving mythic references to Herodian columns, Aceldama, and the endless march of armies with vivid, almost tactile images of stone, fire and wind. Through a series of dramatic monologues, a Breton and a Norman discuss the rise and fall of empires, hinting at a conflict that feels both timeless and freshly urgent.

The poem continues as a meditation on memory, fate, and the fragile moments when life feels both suspended and irrevocably moving toward its end. Listeners will hear the breath of a storyteller who shifts between lyrical description and stark battlefield chatter, creating a rhythm that is at once contemplative and urgent. With its rich symbolism and echoing refrains, the piece rewards those who enjoy layered, spoken‑word poetry that invites repeated listening to tease out its many allusions.