Stephen Ferre

composer, performer, educator

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The Red Ritual

Riding the Crimson Sun (2007)

the now that is the you that I seek
destination unknown
flower without purpose defined
driving the sea of disenchantment

I ride the crimson sun
on a wave of liquid light
wherever it flows
hoping to find you at the end

of my soul you are the beginning
the meaning of my seed
my past my present
my every waking moment

I ride the crimson sun
on a wave of liquid light
ever searching never ceasing
your love streams through my heart

thinking of you in evening’s twilight
I become greater
than the sum of my parts
a rose amongst the bracken

I ride the crimson sun
on a wave of liquid light
flowing in my garden
to the now that is you

The Red Ritual

so long, setting sun
till morning when we meet again
cut the circle
light fires in the four corners
and break the fast
the ancient rite calls us
‘ere midnight’s past

carnal fire boils blood of man
entwined in the ritual of the night
finding oblivion in the sultry musk
of his glistening lover
bathed in silken light of the harvest moon

turn the cards
find the truth
weave the spell
ask the sooth
protect us in this secret place
and grant us our hearts’ desires

away from prying eyes
intoxicated by her soft jasmine scent
he finds the soul of the earth
naked on the grass of Avalon

Magician and Fool dance
the Priestess sings
its game of chance 
and choice eternal
what future brings

her yearning gaze
those brown bottomless gems
defy his reason and sense
razing the conventions of the day
with a flaming vertigo

burn the candle 
tie the knots
cure our anxious
mortal thoughts
of death and ruin

it’s a kind of love past lust
that fuels their union of mutual need
springing from desire, from hunger
the muse who sparks the seed of creation
and destruction of men

whisper her name
with a gentle kiss
for the last time
as night submits
to the sun’s tyranny

douse the flame
find the world anew
its relentless game
with knowledge true
that soon we’ll return
to night’s red ritual

An Ill Wind

an ill wind
blows off the sea
bringing ill fortune

your heart:
dashed on the rocks
by the stormy sea
frozen
by the icy gale

black clouds on the horizon
obscure the morning sun
darken your soul

your soul blind
to the morning sun
filled with black clouds

by the icy gale
your frozen heart
on the stormy sea
dashes
mine on the rocks

ill fortune
blows off the sea
on an ill wind

I’m not listening

Manipulation:
Control with your petty din
and delicate clanks.

Free flowing torrent,
speaking with purple crayons
beats silence senseless.

You mean it’s my fault.
It’s funny you should say that.
I’m not listening.

Where have you gone?

where have you gone
blue spark of my velvet night
leaving only emptiness and weakness

why have you gone
when I needed you most
leaving on the west wind

who can take your place
feed my flame
chase my ghosts

when will I find the chink
the door left ajar
that I might taste again your azure glow

how will I find the answers
without your guidance
and fiery love

where have you gone
where have you gone

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Blog posts

  • Finalist – Pegasus: The Orchestra
    Thank you for your submission to Pegasus: The Orchestra’s inaugural Call for Works. We were truly inspired by the remarkable artistic quality and depth of the submissions. With 51 applicants, the selection process was both challenging and rewarding....
  • Website updates
    Hi Everyone, There has been a major WordPress update that has cleared some of the problems that caused the website to lag. I’ll probably be adding some more content over the next couple of months.
  • Confirmation
    I think this site is where I want it now. There are a few things that I may change. I’m still finding it a little slow, much slower than a wordpress-based site, rather than a WP site hosted...
  • Navigation
    Some of the menu items have dropdown menus. However, if you click on the main menu item there is also a landing page. For examble, the Media page has a whole slew of realistic demos of recent works,...
  • Testing 1, 2
    I just made some changes and need to test something.

The Idea Farm - reviews, writing, thoughts

  • The Seventh Trumpeter of the Apocalypse
  • Degrees of Separation
  • What makes this a competition?
  • NotePerformer 4.4 and Spatial Audio BBCSO Professional (Sibelius)
  • SYMPHONY No 4
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