#elegies a song cycle

[biggestwilliamfinnfan]

do you think bill finn knows about the hundreds of thousands of mentally ill teenagers who think about his silly music 24/7 without end

[jason-falsettos]

Elegies is actually beautiful and incredibly emotionally devastating and more people need to listen to it

[fastsalad]

michael rupert’s vocals in Elegies god michael rupert’s vocals in general

[grapery]

ONE THING I CAN SAY ABOUT PEGGY HEWITT

SHE WAS INCREDIBILITY LOOOVED AND SHE KNEEEW IT

[notupforpolo]

Every month or so I'll click on Keith Byron Kirk's name on spotify just to check that there isn't any albums on there with him that they've been hiding from me– then I'll just listen to A New Brain and Elegies once again and cry a little when his beautiful voice hits my ear

[jason-falsettos]

everyone saying legally blonde is FAKE they should be saying ELEGIES

Falsettos 2016 cast and their 1992 counterparts on the opening night of the revival!

[greenducksforever]

la luna

Pale orb suspended in the inky night, Silent witness to our earthly plight, Your silver face, a canvas for our dreams, Reflects the light of hope in gentle beams.

Oh Luna, keeper of lovers' secrets, Your waxing, waning phases mark our regrets, In your soft glow, we find solace and grace, A balm for sorrows time cannot erase.

Celestial guardian of tides and lore, Your pull on hearts forevermore, In gardens where your shadows play, We contemplate life's fleeting day.

Ancient companion, cold and bright, Guiding lost souls through the night, In your reflection, we see our own, A mirror of all we've loved and known.

As you traverse the starry sea, We mourn the moments that cannot be, Yet in your cycle, ever renewed, We find the strength to see life through.

Elegy of the Moon, a song unsung, Of whispered wishes and bells unrung, In your eternal, cosmic dance, We find the courage for one last glance.

At worlds beyond and dreams unfurled, At all the beauty in this world, And though we fade like morning dew, Our spirit soars, forever, with you.

[mistermalaprop]

"a moment for the poet's play"

[an angsty sky-byte (kinda jetbyte) oneshot buried in my docs that i decided to post. originally written between july-august of 2024.]

[title is a lyric from Sleeping Sun by Nightwish. it's a banger song, go listen to it.]

--

Sky-Byte did not spend that much time on Earth.

Well, not the millions of years that the other Decepticons did, at least. He visited every once in a while, every couple of centuries perhaps. Humans were so finicky.

In their infant cycles, humans would try to kill Sky-Byte if he stood on their lands. It is how he adapted to his shark alt-mode, it kept him off the land and in the sea with the unique aquatic animals of Earth…

Oh… how he adored the ocean. It was the only consistent thing he enjoyed for stellar cycles. It was so different from Cybertron’s metal surface. If Sky-Byte wanted to swim on Cybertron, the most that was offered were solvent baths… even then, Sky-Byte got many glares for trying to swim in solvent. That was the reason Sky-Byte gained his ability to fly.

If Sky-Byte could not swim without judgment, then he would fly!

When humans began to write, Sky-Byte would painstakingly translate every bit of human literature and read it for himself. Most of it was primitive garbage that not even a sparkling could read, some intimate, yet… few caught his optic.

Epics, Sonnets, Limericks, Haikus, Elegies, Ballads, Ekphrases— Poetry. Sky-Byte could never get enough of it.

It was everything that Sky-Byte could ever want. Everything his spark desired… right in that tiny little human word.

Sky-Byte knew little of a Cybertronian equivalent to human poetry, perhaps there was never an equivalent. Cybertronians lacked the distinction for human music, too.

… While the war between Autobots and Decepticons simmered down— with the disappearance of both Optimus Prime and Megatron and no other Cybertronian to take their places— Sky-Byte spent his cycles studying and replicating the human art. If he were not doing that, then he was busy filling his schedule up with duels to fight against his arch-rival, Jetfire.

When he had gained enough confidence to perform his newly found art and attempt to implement it into Cybertronian customs, Sky-Byte found that his fellow Transformers were not willing to listen. He would be sooner booed off a grand stage than be heard. It was discouraging, Sky-Byte would admit… but he never gave up. Much like with his rivalry with Jetfire, Sky-Byte would never give up on such glorious art. The world needed to hear what wonderful creations he could speak! And so, no matter the response he got, Sky-Byte pushed forward in his goal to appreciate the art of poetry.

He would pursue in the name of the art; he would study and write and listen until he could speak a new haiku from the tip of his glossa, until he could improvise a ballad from a single star in the galaxy, until he could craft an elegy that moved even the toughest of sparks to tears, until he could recite epics that spanned the cosmos. Sky-Byte refused to be silenced, his passion burning brighter than the stars themselves. Despite the sneers and scoffs from his fellow Cybertronians, he continued to immerse himself in the human art of poetry, finding solace and purpose in each carefully constructed verse.

He found solace in the rhythmic flow of verses, the power of metaphors, and the beauty of language woven together to create something greater than the sum of its parts.

As he delved deeper into the world of poetry, Sky-Byte discovered that it was not just about words on a page or spoken aloud— it was a connection, a bridge between sparks. His creations began to resonate with those who were willing to listen (which were very few), sparking something within them that transcended the boundaries of their mechanical bodies. Through his poetry, Sky-Byte found a way to express his innermost thoughts and feelings and to share his experiences and dreams with others. He poured his spark into each verse, each line a reflection of his true self. Through his poetry, Sky-Byte and Jetfire were able to stand beside one another and gaze up at the clouds of dust and space particles.

… that was until the war began again. The Autobots and Decepticons were founded once more, and the battle for control of their home Cybertron was refueled once more.

Against his will, Sky-Byte was called upon to battle against the Autobots after years of “peace”. His spark heavy with conflicted emotions, Sky-Byte grudgingly joined the fray, his mind torn between his duty to his faction and his love for poetry. As he clashed with his foes on the battlefield, the echoes of sonnets and ballads still rang in his audio receptors, a bittersweet reminder of the life he had briefly tasted before the war's resurgence.

Each strike he landed and blow he received only fueled the turmoil within him, the desire for peace warring with the necessity of conflict. Jetfire, once his rival in battles of words and swords alike, now stood across from him as an adversary once more, their camaraderie shattered by the divide of factions. Their rivalry became bitter yet comical— a cliché tragedy written at Sky-Byte’s forced servo by the angry tyrant that was his leader, Megatron. On the battlefield, where screams of agony drowned out any semblance of melody, Sky-Byte yearned for the tranquility of the ocean depths, where only the soft hum of water against his hull could be heard. He longed for a moment of respite, a chance to immerse himself in the verses that had once fueled his spark.

… That leads him to tonight. Tonight.

The night his sacred energon spilled to the dust-coated metal below. The night he collapsed and held little strength to stand.

The night his optics dimmed, and his systems faltered, overwhelmed by the weight of his conflicting desires and the harsh reality of war. Sky-Byte lay on the battlefield, surrounded by the remnants of his comrades and enemies, the echoes of their clashes fading into the distance. His once proud frame now seemed small and fragile, a mere shell of the warrior he had once been.

As he struggled to rise, his optics caught a glimpse of something in the dim light of Cybertron's moon.

“Sky-Byte.” He heard his name spoken by a familiar pair of lips as if it were a forbidden word. Sky-Byte turned his weary optics to the tall figure standing by his side… Jetfire.

"Jetfire," Sky-Byte rasped, his voice barely above a whisper. The sight of his former rival filled him with a mix of conflicting emotions – gratitude for the unexpected help, bitterness at the situation that had led them to this moment, and a deep sense of loss for the time when they had stood together as friends rather than soldiers on opposite sides. “You’re here…”

“Yes, of course…” Jetfire knelt beside Sky-Byte, his expression unreadable behind the battle-worn mask. "I never thought I'd see you like this," he said quietly, his optics scanning Sky-Byte's damaged frame, “It does not feel… real.”

Sky-Byte's systems flickered weakly as he tried to muster a response, the weight of defeat pressing down on him like an iron fist. "Nor I," he managed to choke out, his voice strained with pain and exhaustion. The once-mighty warrior felt a sense of vulnerability creeping over him, his usual bravado stripped away by the harsh realities of war.

He locked optics with Jetfire, “You… were supposed to end me, Jetfire… we agreed…” Sky-Byte formed a small grin upon his lips, his derma sharp as usual for his alternative mode, “But… it was instead another… foolish Autobot…”

Jetfire's optics dimmed at the mention of their agreement, a flicker of regret passing through his optics. "I never wanted it to come to this, Sky-Byte," he replied, his voice heavy with sorrow, “It was never meant to end in such a way…”

Sky-Byte's energy levels were dipping dangerously low, the battle damage taking its toll on his systems. Despite the pain coursing through his frame, a spark of determination flickered in his optics. "You were always a worthy adversary, Jetfire," he murmured, each word a struggle to articulate. "Even in our rivalry, there was… respect."

Jetfire nodded solemnly, a sense of camaraderie mingling with the ache of loss. "We may have been on opposing sides, but I never doubted your dedication to your beliefs, Sky-Byte," he said, reaching out his servos and lifting the Decepticon, holding Sky-Byte in his arms as the battle continued all around them. It seemed as though both of their worlds only consisted of each other, at this moment. Two rivals that swore by their sparks to kill one another, now at the bitter end of their goal…

As Jetfire carried Sky-Byte through the chaos of the battlefield, a sense of surreal calm enveloped them. The sounds of clashing metal and blaring alarms faded into the background, replaced by the steady thrum of their sparks resonating in unison. Despite the weight of their conflicting loyalties and the bitter taste of defeat lingering in the air, there was a strange sense of peace settling over them. As they moved through the wreckage-strewn battlefield, Jetfire's grip tightened around Sky-Byte, offering silent support and a fleeting moment of solace amidst the turmoil. The once-bitter rivals found themselves bound together not by duty or allegiance, but by a shared understanding forged in the flame of war.

Through the haze of pain and exhaustion, Sky-Byte felt a sense of gratitude towards Jetfire for showing him compassion in his darkest hour. Despite the odds stacked against them and the scars that covered their frames, there was a glimmer of hope flickering in Sky-Byte’s spark that perhaps he would not be alone once his light was sucked back into the well.

After kliks of walking, passing by soldiers amid battle, Jetfire finally found a sheltered alcove amidst the ruins of what was once a bustling city on Cybertron. Gently laying Sky-Byte down, Jetfire knelt beside him, his optics scanning the Decepticon's damaged frame with a mixture of concern and regret.

"You shouldn't have to endure this, not like this," Jetfire murmured, his soft voice barely above a whisper amidst the chaos that surrounded them. "You deserved more than the fate that awaits you…"

Sky-Byte met Jetfire's gaze, a flicker of defiance in his optics despite his weakened state. "Perhaps... but every spark has its ending, and mine seems to be near its concluding act…" he replied, his voice barely audible as he struggled to draw in each ventilated breath. The weight of his injuries bore down on him like an unrelenting force, threatening to extinguish the last embers of his spark. Jetfire's servos hovered over Sky-Byte's as the shark spoke, his digits shaking before he finally bit the bullet and held the other’s servo.

“I do not know what I will do without you, Sky-Byte.”

Sky-Byte's optics softened at Jetfire's words, a rare sense of warmth spreading through his damaged frame. Despite the pain that wracked his systems and the knowledge of his imminent fate, there was a flicker of peace in his spark at the thought that he would not face it alone. "You do not have to think of such, Jetfire," he said, his voice barely more than a whisper as he squeezed Jetfire's servo weakly in return. "Our paths may have diverged, but our connection runs deeper than allegiance or war. We were once comrades, and at this moment, we are more than enemies. We are bound by fate, standing together."

Jetfire's optics shimmered with unshed coolant as he gazed down at Sky-Byte, his grip tightening ever so slightly in a silent promise. "I will stand by your side until the end, my old friend," he vowed, a bittersweet smile forming on his lips.

“That… is all I ask, old friend.” Sky-Byte nodded, his optics drifting off to the sky above the now dwindling battlefield, lingering on the fractured moons and the stars, “Though, I wish… I could think of.. a good haiku to bid farewell.”

Jetfire remained by Sky-Byte's side as the mech’s spark snuffed out unceremoniously, his optics locked on the still, slowly rusting form of his former rival. A heavy silence settled over the alcove as the sounds of battle continued to echo in the distance. Grief weighed heavily on Jetfire's spark as he processed the loss of a being who had once been both friend and foe. 

The cacophony of battle slowly faded away, replaced by an eerie stillness that enveloped the alcove where the two former rivals had found a moment of respite.

There was nothing to be done, so Jetfire sighed as he held Sky-Byte’s rusty frame just a little closer.

end.

[cupcait]

RULES: bold what applies - italicize sometimes. Repost, don’t reblog!

SUN • egotistical • melted wax wings and fingers • stretching sunburnt skin • the most generous soul • blood in the fruit • halos • anger on fire • high vitality • thunderous laughter • is pride really a sin? • halogenic aura

MERCURY • expansion of the mind • silver-tongued • an everlasting wanderer • polyglot • high dexterity • handwritten letters • innately critical • en vogue • eyes in the trees • hidden libraries • there’s always room for improvement

VENUS • in love with strangers • iridescent waters • love potions for your mirror • selfless devotion • shattering crystal • seafoam upon sand • the golden ratio • drowning in your own passion • material value & high principles • luring • plush lips

EARTH • fresh springs • tree hugger • we can start again tomorrow • a blazing rainforest • respects survival of the fittest • nature’s adversity • lazy bones • constantly evolving • flowers sprouting from wounds • a granite altar • fossilized remains

MOON • illusory • silver shimmer off the ocean • secrets and gossip • cycles of reincarnation • a crybaby • physically ethereal • shared glances with a stranger • cat eyes • mistrusting their intuition • fear is a prison • ornate magic wands

MARS • healthy competition • attraction and repulsion • magma and rubies • a blade being forged • wrath wrath wrath • malefic • intense eye contact • cannon fodder & fireworks • blood floods • copper taste on your tongue

JUPITER • red robes and a suit of armor • beacon of stability • leader by birth • thunderbolts and lightning • guilty but can’t stop • secret rich kid • golden touch golden tears • innate optimist • failure isn’t an option • constantly reaching for more • unfinished symphonies

SATURN • traditional • overbearing energy • a sculptor of reality • this existence is a karmic one • has a heart it’s just… way down deep • law, order & justice • avoid all necessary risk • the sound of shackles clanging • sisyphus’ struggle • grappling with the reality of time • self-governing

URANUS • psychedelic funk music • overflowing cups • a rebellion with skin • looking good in photo id • oblivious but caring • middle fingers in the air • double rainbows • icy diamond exterior • holographic • afraid of their own mediocrity • pearlescent smoke

NEPTUNE • an elegy for the lost • dissolving boundaries • white horses • the burden of mystical conditions • deceptive • escapism is their reality • a polarizing entity • artists soul • paranoia • searching for the unseen • a siren’s swan song

PLUTO • angel statues over graves • power • the cycle of necrosis • transformative • unfathomable depths • an ivory tower toppling over • screaming at the sky • violets and irises • eclipsed darkness • speaks with their shadow • sex, death, rebirth

tagged by : @essencefluxed & @lestaya ty both !! tagging : @officrnolen , @lifebinds , @hopewrought , @anomallis , @coqueclaus , @piltoverstar , @fervonian & steal from me !!

[biggestwilliamfinnfan]

elegies… thinking about elegies… elegies 2003 song cycle,.. elgies…,,

[jason-falsettos]

If y'all saw this on my tt with a different sound no you didn't

[fastsalad]

save me elegies: a song cycle elegies save me elegies

[postmortiem]

𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑 𝐒𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐌

RULES: bold what applies - italicize sometimes. Repost, don’t reblog!

SUN • egotistical • melted wax wings and fingers • stretching sunburnt skin • the most generous soul • blood in the fruit • halos • anger on fire • high vitality • thunderous laughter • is pride really a sin? • halogenic aura

MERCURY • expansion of the mind • silver-tongued • an everlasting wanderer • polyglot • high dexterity • handwritten letters • innately critical • en vogue • eyes in the trees • hidden libraries • there’s always room for improvement

VENUS • in love with strangers • iridescent waters • love potions for your mirror • selfless devotion • shattering crystal • seafoam upon sand • the golden ratio • drowning in your own passion • material value & high principles • luring • plush lips

EARTH • fresh springs • tree hugger • we can start again tomorrow • a blazing rainforest • respects survival of the fittest • nature’s adversity • lazy bones • constantly evolving • flowers sprouting from wounds • a granite altar • fossilized remains

MOON • illusory • silver shimmer off the ocean • secrets and gossip • cycles of reincarnation • a crybaby • physically ethereal • shared glances with a stranger • cat eyes • mistrusting their intuition • fear is a prison • ornate magic wands

MARS • healthy competition • attraction and repulsion • magma and rubies • a blade being forged • wrath wrath wrath • malefic • intense eye contact • cannon fodder & fireworks • blood floods • copper taste on your tongue

JUPITER • red robes and a suit of armor • beacon of stability • leader by birth • thunderbolts and lightning • guilty but can’t stop • secret rich kid • golden touch golden tears • innate optimist • failure isn’t an option • constantly reaching for more • unfinished symphonies

SATURN • traditional • overbearing energy • a sculptor of reality • this existence is a karmic one • has a heart it’s just… way down deep • law, order & justice • avoid all necessary risk • the sound of shackles clanging • sisyphus’ struggle • grappling with the reality of time • self-governing

URANUS • psychedelic funk music • overflowing cups • a rebellion with skin • looking good in photo id • oblivious but caring • middle fingers in the air • double rainbows • icy diamond exterior • holographic • afraid of their own mediocrity • pearlescent smoke

NEPTUNE • an elegy for the lost • dissolving boundaries • white horses • the burden of mystical conditions • deceptive • escapism is their reality • a polarizing entity • artists soul • paranoia • searching for the unseen • a siren’s swan song

PLUTO • angel statues over graves • power • the cycle of necrosis • transformative • unfathomable depths • an ivory tower toppling over • screaming at the sky • violets and irises • eclipsed darkness • speaks with their shadow • sex, death, rebirth

tagged by: @vesthnik ♥

[notupforpolo]

I love Elegies because it truly feels like a book of short stories. Of course that is the nature of song cycles. But in my opinion many song cycles (just like collections of short stories) fail in being a single cohesive work. Sure, they're enjoyable, not bad, but the really good ones reward you for listening or reading them as one story.

So, let me expand. Mark and Finn himself are of course recurring characters, and so is Arthur and Finn's mum, but no song actually needs another. They all tell their own stories. "My Dogs" has nothing to do with "Passover " and they have even less in common with "Goodbye / Boom Boom" even if they're all, you know, elegies. The theme is grief. I don't actually need to know who Mark-in-the-hospital is, because the song is about Monica. It still packs the same punch. "Anytime (I Am There)" is still fucking devastating.

Still, when the other shoe drops (maybe after some repeat listenings) and you realise the mother who "passed over" is also the mother who "took Michel and her oxygen in tow" and who "caused the world to stop turning" fuck if that doesn't hit. When you realise that Arthur who the narrator meet at Mark's party watched both Mark and Bolek loose to illness... Like leisurely laying a puzzle just to pass the time and with every piece marvelling at the unexpected beauty of the final image. Even the identical blue peaces slotting into place, necessary for the sky illuminate to the beauty of the landscape.

The entire thing is just so brilliantly composed and balanced. It's, to me as someone who enjoys both reading and writing short stories, such an exemplary work.

In conclusion, Fucking William Finn, man.

[kilmer]

SOLAR SYSTEM.

bold what applies - italicize sometimes.

SUN • egotistical • melted wax wings and fingers • stretching sunburnt skin • the most generous soul • blood in the fruit • halos • anger on fire • high vitality • thunderous laughter • is pride really a sin ? • halogenic aura

MERCURY • expansion of the mind • silver - tongued • an everlasting wanderer • polyglot • high dexterity • handwritten letters • innately critical • en vogue • eyes in the trees • hidden libraries • there’s always room for improvement

VENUS • in love with strangers • iridescent waters • love potions for your mirror • selfless devotion • shattering crystal • seafoam upon sand • the golden ratio • drowning in your own passion • material value & high principles

EARTH • fresh springs • tree hugger • we can start again tomorrow • a blazing rainforest • respects survival of the fittest • nature’s adversity • lazy bones • constantly evolving • flowers sprouting from wounds • a granite altar • fossilized remains

MOON • illusory • silver shimmer off the ocean • secrets and gossip • cycles of reincarnation • a crybaby • physically ethereal • shared glances with a stranger • cat eyes • mistrusting their intuition • fear is a prison • ornate magic wands

MARS • healthy competition • attraction and repulsion • magma and rubies • a blade being forged • wrath wrath wrath • malefic • intense eye contact • cannon fodder & fireworks • blood floods • copper taste on your tongue

JUPITER • red robes and a suit of armor • beacon of stability • leader by birth • thunderbolts and lightning • guilty but can’t stop • secret rich kid • golden touch golden tears • innate optimist • failure isn’t an option • constantly reaching for more • unfinished symphonies

SATURN • traditional • overbearing energy • a sculptor of reality • this existence is a karmic one • has a heart it’s just… way down deep • law, order & justice • avoid all necessary risk • the sound of shackles clanging • sisyphus’ struggle • grappling with the reality of time • self-governing

URANUS • psychedelic funk music • overflowing cups • a rebellion with skin • looking good in photo id • oblivious but caring • double rainbows • icy diamond exterior • holographic • afraid of their own mediocrity • pearlescent smoke

NEPTUNE • an elegy for the lost • dissolving boundaries • white horses • the burden of mystical conditions • deceptive • escapism is their reality • a polarizing entity • artists soul • paranoia • searching for the unseen • a siren’s swan song

PLUTO • angel statues over graves • power • the cycle of necrosis • transformative • unfathomable depths • an ivory tower toppling over • screaming at the sky • violets and irises • eclipsed darkness • speaks with their shadow • death and rebirth.

TAGGED BY:

@enshijou thank you as always, posi!! this was really fun 🥺

TAGGING:

...you! steal it and say i tagged you! <3