New Series – Poets of the Fall, Clearview simply said – 10th episode
Something’s in the air…
Breathe!… Can you smell it? Not the snow, silly! The change that autumn brings. “Something’s in the air…”, right?! My favourite season, with its warm autumnal colours – red, ochre, brown, golden start to highlight and replace the greens. It is a magical season for me to feast my eyes on. You know what I am talking about, with the sun getting lower in the sky the air begins to sting your cheeks a little in the morning… but it also means cool outfits with boots, scarves, gloves… cosy long sleeves tops, mix woollen coats… it means, more scented candles in the house, the fireplace lit… and the smell… and the first one who tells me rain… well, I… oh, never mind! You’d be right anyway… where I live, it’s a little bit like Forks, Washington, USA (i.e. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer) or Bergen in Norway. No? Cliff note version: rain… almost all the time… except for today, must be a sign!
And yet, there is another reason why Autumn is my favourite season… because it usually is when great music is released, or events related to such music… see where I am going with this? Yep… Poets of the Fall, Clearview was released September 30th, 2016… and now, we are all waiting expectantly for the event to come on September 22nd, 2017. Hey, but that is in two days! Yes, it is… Hence my choice of illustration to the right… I won’t say what I think it is announcing but in truth, no matter what it is, it is going to be great. Besides, I love the feeling about it… so no inside scoop, no ?… I only wish my piano had “Witchcraft” written on it like that… Although, it would be unbelievably inaccurate in my case ?
A friend of mine has, therefore, convinced me that I should finish writing the series before the said event… So, here we are… ten episodes later, this is the finale of Clearview Simply Said!
As I said to you last week, soon, it is time for you dear readers to hit the “replay button”. Such a great journey isn’t it?! From the madness within to acknowledging the Puppet Master – and who knows standing up to him/her/it – to letting the inner-child live in harmony with one and realizing that one is not alone, no matter how hard it is, our dreams are always worth the risks… and believe it! Clearview follows the red thread that you are all starting to get familiar with:
“If you know you don’t know something, how do you get a clear view? It’s by asking.” – Marko Saaresto
Episode 10 – Moonlight Kissed
In the beginning, Moonlight Kissed gave me a “hard time“… I was lost for words I guess, and could not see. At the same time, I was hypnotised by the sheer beauty of it. This is by far the most amazing piece of poetry that Marko has ever written and which our favourite “poetical musicians” have ever created. This song is perfection to me, as simple as that. When I asked Captain about it, here was his answer:
Yours Truly: You’ve said that you were most proud of “Moonlight Kissed” without really explaining why. What does make this song so special to you?
Captain: I worked a lot on the piano arrangement, and I’m quite happy with the result. I also like all the little sounds and embellishments I managed to hide in the background. Sometimes the melody, chords, vocals, lyrics, instruments and production all blend together into one atmospheric whole, and I think that happened beautifully in this song.
Well, I agree, Sir! ?
Recently, I chatted with my friend and she wished me to guess what line from Moonlight Kissed was her favourite… but I did not tell her which was mine, though. There are many amazing lines (basically the entire song), but one, in particular, knocked me off my chair – almost literally. In the end, for me, this line says it all…
despite the ache there’s magic everywhere.
– Poets of the Fall, Moonlight Kissed
Moonlight Kissed to the Clearview theme
This is Clearview‘s conclusion. When you’ve asked enough, gotten answers – that you’d want to hear or not – and acted accordingly when you could, Moonlight Kissed finally completes the circle. What does the title evoke? Being kissed in the moonlight, I mean why chose such imagery? When I think about it, I feel peace and happiness… love… and we all know that Poets of the Fall are all about love, right?!
I see shadows and light stroking the mist
– Poets of the Fall, Moonlight Kissed
Could this be about our inner-struggle, the good and the bad dancing together? Our awareness of them, our acceptance… The first verse is so peaceful, it is difficult to explain it really. I understand this song on a very emotional level, so I hope you’ll forgive my mere wonder at the words. You see, I had this revelation about Moonlight Kissed, just before I wrote Episode 9. Suddenly, it was all crystal clear and each line, each verse took a whole new dimension… they morphed right in front of my eyes and I thought: this is genius, Poets of the Fall are geniuses! And whether the intent behind the song was conscious or not… Genius! But I cannot possibly go through the song, line by line, and show you what I discovered… and anyway, maybe I am completely wrong. After all, I thought the song was full of grief and regrets for months… maybe it is, but not for the reasons or in the way I thought it was then. There is no sadness in Moonlight Kissed. It is the picture of a whole person, complete and happy – I think. I don’t mean the chipper happy… I mean the happy at peace if it makes sense to you. The one who has finally realised what it’s all about…
Fingers of blue on the snow reaching to touch
the warm light still aglow across the porch.
We watch the scene die untold outside our window.
– Poets of the Fall, Moonlight Kissed
Moonlight Kissed is when we’ve finally reached that moment in life… our eyes are open wide and we can see and understand everything that has passed; we accept what was and can detach ourselves while continuing to learn from it. There is no more anger, fear, false pride and all that sort of nonsense… just a state of being that makes us… makes you, you! Am I a dreamer, you think? A naive one… maybe. Do you think I see things that aren’t there or even said? Is it maybe that I understand only what I want to? I don’t know, I think I want to believe that we can all reach this peace within and live in a world where we can truly be ourselves, no matter the limitations of society and the obstacles it puts in our way. To me, that is what Moonlight Kissed is about.
Play in the ponds like summer’s wind.
Dance with trees melding with mist
beyond the flower field like you’re moonlight kissed.
– Poets of the Fall, Moonlight Kissed
In other words, Moonlight Kissed could be my reflection when I look into the “Mirror of Erised” (J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone)… This song is what I strive for… reach this peaceful moment when my heart has finally gotten what it truly desires.
Clearview… thank you!
Since I have started these series, something magical has happened to me. Although it is not all due to this particular journey, I can safely say that it played a major role in it. I make no secret of the fact that I love writing, always have and always will… and maybe, my present enthusiasm and need to share it will fade with time… but right now, I wish to say that Clearview and my scrutiny towards it for the purpose of this series have done something for me that I’d never dreamed would happen. You see, I’d lost a key I had no idea I possessed… a mystical one that was meant to open the most hidden of doors within me… Clearview helped me find that key and the doors are now wide open. How long are they going to stay that way? I guess it is only up to me. Of course, the downside is that the story I am writing, the characters, places and events are waking me up very early in the mornings… nagging until I get up, grab my coffee and start writing them. During the day, if I am tired and need a shut eye, they’ll let me… sometimes. But, it’s all good. I wanted this! I dreamt about it for so many years and now it is finally happening… it’s all good… I want this and Clearview is part of the reasons it is becoming more real for every day that passes.
Clearview on what… I believe that we are all and without exception going to find exactly what we need to in Clearview. The way we interpret the words is as personal as when Marko wrote them. As Philipp Pullman said once: “As soon as the words are out there, they don’t belong to me anymore, they belong to the reader.” Hope you understand what I mean…
Clearview on what… Who are you? … What are you afraid of?… You’re not alone… Be you… Where are you going?… Dream… What are you doing?… You’re not alone… Believe… See! It will happen and I promise, you’ll be amazed!
Thanks for reading,
Poets, thank you for Clearview!
Best wishes! ?
About the series…
“Clearview is a clear view on things that you are unclear about basically, because […] it’s really, simply said it’s about asking. If you think you know something, that’s fine, but if you know you don’t know something, how do you get a clear view? It’s by asking. So, that’s basically what it’s about. But that’s a, I think also, a very big topic that we could really talk, like, a lot.”
– Marko Saaresto, August 2017 (transcript by Yours Truly)
- New Series – Poets of the Fall, Clearview Simply said – 1st episode
- New Series – Poets of the Fall, Clearview Simply said – 2nd episode
- New Series – Poets of the Fall, Clearview Simply said – 3rd episode
- New Series – Poets of the Fall, Clearview Simply said – 4th episode
- New Series – Poets of the Fall, Clearview Simply said – 5th episode
- New Series – Poets of the Fall, Clearview Simply said – 6th episode
- New Series – Poets of the Fall, Clearview Simply said – 7th episode
- New Series – Poets of the Fall, Clearview Simply said – 8th episode
- New Series – Poets of the Fall, Clearview Simply said – 9th episode
5 Comments
Suz
Sigh, I always hate getting to the end of an album, I always want more. But of course Clearview had to have a last song, and what a song it is. It did not start out to be one of my favorites, but it worked it’s way higher at each listen, it sort of snuck up on me. Now it is not only one of my favorites on the album, but one of my all time favorites. How could it not be? The beauty of it is breathtaking and this song always gives me visions in my head. I can SEE these lyrics. The scenery is right in front of me every time I listen. I don’t know if what I see has any meaning to the song, but I see this none the less.
I see snow and a dark night with the rays of a full moon making a bright spot. I see a bell tower in the distance. I see shadow fingers. I see staring faces, lips close, making no sound, making sure the shadow fingers don’t touch them. I see red hair blowing in a summer breeze(I don’t know why it’s red). I see birds flying out a cottage door and the moon is gone and now there is sunlight and they fly free. This is just some of what I see. Sometimes I see the puppet master on a horse, laughing, in the forest. The whole song is pure imagery in my head.
To me this song is about struggle and finding your way, simple as that. Things and circumstances trying to knock you off your path, but you end up where you need to be.
You and I talked about some thought I had the other night all of a sudden and I didn’t want to say what it was until I read episode 10 so I will tell you now.
I had this thought come to me all of a sudden while listening, a thought about the “fingers of blue on the snow, reaching to touch the warm light still aglow…”
I wonder, do those fingers belong to the puppet master and is he again making an appearance? He sees life and light and reaches to extinguish, but he can’t quite make it. Something stops him and he recedes, and that story never gets told. It’s the people he’s reaching for, they have life, love, whatever it is that stops him, maybe the summer scent in their hair, it’s magic and pushes him away. Whatever it is, he’s pushed away, for now anyway, and we’re free to go play and dance and live life. Until he tries again?
clairepeek
Double sigh… first my bloody computer crashed and second I did something with the keyboard – shortcut for showing the page source – instead of what I intended (which I don’t remember what it was), and of course, my comment was almost done and gone… nearly crying now… so, I am going to give it another go. After all, there is a reason for everything…
So… here is my last try before going back to my characters (the reason I was up so freaking early today).
I love the imagery that comes up in your head, I see most of it too, except for the bell tower, the redhead and the puppet master 😉 However, now that you mention him in reference to the “fingers of blue”, I see what you mean… besides, he appears also here “New day comes again and it laughs in our face”, right!?
You are right though, this is a song of struggle “difficult to hear at all through the everyday din.” but to me, it is much more than that. It is a song of struggle without interference… it is a struggle where the possibilities are what they are, but they are finally visible to us. My vision about the “fingers of blue reaching to touch” symbolises the nostalgia for something that could have been, a nostalgia that discarded all regrets before it became just that.
Then, there is the “rebellion” that I see as the old habits, the resistance to change leaving with the excuses and false reasons to stay where we are. It is a song of awareness and acceptance… it is a song where we are in control despite the struggles and the hurts… it is a song that completes the circle that Clearview is to me. I mean, all the songs are about struggle, somehow, would it be Marko’s style to leave this as is, without some sort of conclusion?
Moonlight Kissed is the circle completed. I believe that the end of the struggle is not the point, but rather seeing it as a part of who we are, making us who we are… at the same time, Moonlight Kissed reminds us that life is not just about struggles. This is the eternal observation that we are both dark and light. I used the analogy to the J.K. Rowling’s “mirror of erised” because this is what the last verse showed me. Becoming the person who has what her heart truly desires, doesn’t mean that the struggle is over… Right?!
You said, at the end of your comment: “we’re free to go play and dance and live life. Until he tries again?” That is what the “fingers of blue” lines are to me… he can try over and over, he won’t be able to reach us anymore. See… ^_^
I don’t know if I really put everything I wanted to put in my reply (my second reply was better and more complete :(). I am just glad you gave me the opportunity to develop my ideas.
Suz
Yes, I’ve also always thought “new day comes again and it laughs in your face” was the Puppet Master, who else but him?
“Out the window run rebellion”, to me, those are the birds I see flying out and free. Rebelling against society and PM and becoming free, laughing as they fly further away, beyond the flower field where now the moonlit night holds no menace but you can dance in it’s glow. I love this song, and I can barely wait one more day for the video.
Suz
Also, one more thing, you know you’ll have to write episode 10.5 about the video, right? 😛
clairepeek
I love it when you spam my posts 😛
Oh my, do I have to write episode 10.5? well… it would make sense 😀 Alright then, I’ll see what I can do about that, hope I won’t disappoint!
Thanks Suz! I truly enjoy your inputs 🙂