Acadia Prelude in G Major on Cello
A poem inspired by Bach Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major: Prelude that intertwines the serene landscape of Acadia National Park with the haunting melodies of the cello piece.
This poem is part of the NaPoWriMo 2025 challenge to write a poem a day in April. This is the prompt for April 16.
The Kay-Ryan-inspired prompt for Day Fourteen asked you to take inspiration from the sounds of the natural world. Today’s prompt twists that idea around a bit. Start by taking a look at this poem [FAURÉ’S SECOND PIANO QUARTET] by James Schuyler.
Like Kay Ryan’s poem, this one invites us to imagine music in the context of a place, but more along the lines of a soundtrack laid on top of the location, rather than just natural sounds. Today, try writing a poem that similarly imposes a particular song on a place. Describe the interaction between the place and the music using references to a plant and, if possible, incorporate a quotation – bonus points for using a piece of everyday, overheard language.
I will never forget my visit to Acadia National Park in Maine—a breathtaking expanse of natural beauty characterized by rugged coastlines, dense forests, and granite peaks. I decided to pair that serene and awe-inspiring environment with one of my favorite cello pieces, Bach Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major: Prelude.
By the way, look for the One Hundred-Word Wonders writing prompt later today.
Acadia breathes softly, in the early light of dawn, the air rich with salt and pine, as the strings and horsehair rod unfurl notes rising mist-like over the granite. A patch of goldenrod sways, its yellow petals aglow, dancing to the pulse of the bow drawing out the heart of G major, the gentle caress of vibrations echoing against the cliffs, where waves crash in distant applause. “Just look at that view!” a voice breaks, counterpoint to the resonance; two hikers pause, awe-struck voices consorting with the melody; the instrument’s warm sound curling around trunks of old birches, the air thick with a mossy scent, and the sky, a canvas, pulled wide; each note a soft embrace, a reminder of time's passage, as shadows stretch and yawn beneath the canopy of vibrant leaves.
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