(« Goldfish Pulling a Snail Cart » by James Pollock)

« Perseverance » is the fourth of the series of segues composed to join the tracks of an album together into one continuous piece of music.

Each of the junctions highlights a specific quality or knowledge that turned out to be crucial to the completion of a project that demanded many years of sustained striving. As the title indicates, « Perseverance » evokes the capacity to keep going at those times when efforts seem insufficient, and success appears unlikely.

Those of you familiar with the repertoire of Poligraf will possibly recognize some of the themes that are revisited in each of the transitions, and will thus perhaps be able to guess the whole, along with the respective roles of each of the segues. Assuming most things unfold according to plan, the title of the overall resulting piece will only be revealed at the time of its unveiling.

Like its predecessors in the series, the demo is instrumental. Here's the associated poetry :

it's curious how it creeps into reality
insidious it just seeps through my leniency
i transgress by neglect not so deliberately
then comes the redirect that dispels apathy

others in selflessness offer their perspective
their seeming carelessness has me introspective
reflections of the part of me that's defective
upset my applecart corrective collective

chaos augurs the chart moon is square to neptune
the stones also disheart thurisaz baleful rune
no point in blaming them for all the misfortune
their gifts do not condemn they are meant to attune

the needle in the red i'm running on empty
the voices in my head they sing of tragedy
i just can't go forward father don't preach to me
my prize is far onward oh good lord have mercy

an absence of reward is no reason to brake
they'll only have you floored do misgivings forsake
know that lack of success does not a failure make
perfection is progress so do the next step take

focus on the process don't let the doubts beset
tasks at hand do address do not repine nor fret
you carry no shackle you are under no threat
you face no obstacle you just are not there yet

have no more attachment to scenarios of gloom
make no more investment in destinies of doom
leave dismay to its night rest despair in its tomb
fulfillment is in sight prospects are in the womb

advance and be fruitful on you go thoroughbred
of your heart be heedful by thought don't be misled
achieve and be peaceful apprehensions do shed
always remain hopeful the stars await ahead