Note: There are grace notes in the original and I've used many for
additional syllables. Let me know if that's too weird.

Also, I've expanded some of my words that do make use of the grace
notes. Should I collapse them and just trust filkers to figure
scansion?

(How many syllables does the word "Gloria" have?
CATHOLICS: 18
- Qwerty Jones @QwertyJones3 December 25, 2016)

Title: I Am a Rock
ttto: I Am a Rock by Paul Simon

The soil's clay
Where I've spent a long time sitting
And I am quite ha-appy here
Now that it is summer
And there is no snow
Though I'm half-embedded, on the top I glow
I am a rock
And I am sediment'ry

You see those walls?
Its stones were once my neighbors
I'm glad I can still see them at work
And soon, as we perceive things,
Wall will be no more
The rocks will be back on ground they adore
They are my friends
Although they are igneous

I'm not alone
Though it seems to you I'm lonely
There're rocks nearby and the soil enfolds
The worms and ants caress me
The fungi are my friends
Though my body's here, my spirit still ascends
I am a rock
And I am sediment'ry

I have the moss
And the lichens here to befriend me
I've been ha-a-apy many ce-enturies
Half below the loam's
Where I make my home
I've time to contemplate the deepest thoughts
I am a rock
And I am sediment'ry

And the years do not cloy
All my days are filled with joy

My lyrics copyright 2023 by Arthur Tansky. License granted for
non-commercial, non-political archiving and performance as long as:
1. copyright notice is maintained, and
2. no money changes hands.

--
Arthur T. - ar23hur "at" pobox "dot" com

Guessing a lyricist's opinions from his songs is as futile as
guessing an author's opinions from his novels.

On 10/5/23 11:21 PM, Arthur T. wrote:
> Note: There are grace notes in the original and I've used many for
> additional syllables. Let me know if that's too weird.
>
> Also, I've expanded some of my words that do make use of the grace
> notes. Should I collapse them and just trust filkers to figure
> scansion?
>
> (How many syllables does the word "Gloria" have?
> CATHOLICS: 18
> - Qwerty Jones @QwertyJones3 December 25, 2016)
>
> Title: I Am a Rock
> ttto: I Am a Rock by Paul Simon
>
> The soil's clay
> Where I've spent a long time sitting
> And I am quite ha-appy here
> Now that it is summer
> And there is no snow
> Though I'm half-embedded, on the top I glow
> I am a rock
> And I am sediment'ry

The scansion works well enough to figure out. I'd leave out the hyphens
indicating melismas; "ha-appy" might make people think they're supposed
to make it sound like three syllables, with an audible break at the hyphen.

You have to loose a syllable somewhere in "sedimentary" for the
scansion, but "sed'mentary" feels more natural to me than "sediment'ry."

Nice play on the title.

--
Gary McGath http://www.mcgath.com

On Thu, 05 Oct 2023 23:21:22 -0400, Arthur T. <arthur@munged.invalid>
wrote:

>(How many syllables does the word "Gloria" have?
>CATHOLICS: 18
> - Qwerty Jones @QwertyJones3 December 25, 2016)
>
>Title: I Am a Rock

Nice, and three Glo'ri'a.
--

Qualified immunity = virtual impunity.

Tim Merrigan

--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com

In Message-ID:<ufoe5c$1elro$1@dont-email.me>,
Gary McGath <garym@mcgath.com> wrote:

>On 10/5/23 11:21 PM, Arthur T. wrote:
>> Note: There are grace notes in the original and I've used many for
>> additional syllables. Let me know if that's too weird.
>> Title: I Am a Rock
>> ttto: I Am a Rock by Paul Simon
>>
>> The soil's clay
>> Where I've spent a long time sitting
>> And I am quite ha-appy here
>> Now that it is summer
>> And there is no snow
>> Though I'm half-embedded, on the top I glow
>> I am a rock
>> And I am sediment'ry
>
>The scansion works well enough to figure out. I'd leave out the hyphens
>indicating melismas; "ha-appy" might make people think they're supposed
>to make it sound like three syllables, with an audible break at the hyphen.

I had the hyphens in to help *me* figure out the scansion. But I'm
quite willing to believe that people who are more musical than I am
will have no trouble without.

>You have to loose a syllable somewhere in "sedimentary" for the
>scansion, but "sed'mentary" feels more natural to me than "sediment'ry."

Or, should I not use an apostrophe at all, and let each singer figure
out where to tap the scansion hammer?

>Nice play on the title.

Thank you. And especially thanks for your answers.

After a bit of time to let others opine, I'll repost.

--
Arthur T. - ar23hur "at" pobox "dot" com

On 10/6/23 9:58 PM, Arthur T. wrote:
>> You have to loose a syllable somewhere in "sedimentary" for the
>> scansion, but "sed'mentary" feels more natural to me than "sediment'ry."
> Or, should I not use an apostrophe at all, and let each singer figure
> out where to tap the scansion hammer?
>

Better yet, how about "I'm sedimentary"?

--
Gary McGath http://www.mcgath.com

In article <ufrq1s$2dt7i$1@dont-email.me>,
Gary McGath <garym@mcgath.com> wrote:
>On 10/6/23 9:58 PM, Arthur T. wrote:
>>> You have to loose a syllable somewhere in "sedimentary" for the
>>> scansion, but "sed'mentary" feels more natural to me than "sediment'ry."
>> Or, should I not use an apostrophe at all, and let each singer figure
>> out where to tap the scansion hammer?
>
>Better yet, how about "I'm sedimentary"?

..... my dear Watson.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

In Message-ID:<86vuhipg2rcaa58nhtmfi386g8b49k6909@4ax.com>,
Arthur T. <arthur@munged.invalid> wrote:

>Title: I Am a Rock

Not many changes based on feedback (thanks, Gary):

Title: I Am a Rock
ttto: I Am a Rock by Paul Simon

The soil's clay
Where I've spent a long time sitting
And I am quite happy here
Now that it is summer
And there is no snow
Though I'm half-embedded, on the top I glow
I am a rock
I'm sedimentary

You see those walls?
Its stones were once my neighbors
I'm glad I can still see them at work
And soon, as we perceive things,
Wall will be no more
The rocks will be back on ground they adore
They are my friends
Although they are igneous

I'm not alone
Though it seems to you I'm lonely
There're rocks nearby and the soil enfolds
The worms and ants caress me
The fungi are my friends
Though my body's here, my spirit still ascends
I am a rock
I'm sedimentary

I have the moss
And the lichens here to befriend me
I've been happy many centuries
Half below the loam's
Where I make my home
I've time to contemplate the deepest thoughts
I am a rock
I'm sedimentary

And the years do not cloy
All my days are filled with joy

My lyrics copyright 2023 by Arthur Tansky. License granted for
non-commercial, non-political archiving and performance as long as:
1. copyright notice is maintained, and
2. no money changes hands.

--
Arthur T. - ar23hur "at" pobox "dot" com

Guessing a lyricist's opinions from his songs is as futile as
guessing an author's opinions from his novels.