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John Milton's Paradise Lost (Demos)

by Jonathan Salem Baskin

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1.
Of man’s first disobedience and the fruit of that forbidden tree. Whose mortal taste brought death into the world. With loss of Eden. With loss of Eden. It’s gone. Sing, oh Heavenly Muse that, on the secret top invoke thy aid to my song. That with no middle flight intends to soar. With loss of Eden With loss of Eden Things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme, instruct me! for thou knows; thou from the first. What in me is dark illume, what’s low raise to the height of this great argument. I may assert eternal providence. And justify the ways of God to men. With loss of Eden With loss of Eden Let’s go.
2.
Now sad to mention, through dire change befallen unforeseen. I come to set free from this house of pain. This errand soul, and one for all with lonely steps to tread. Th’ void immense to search a place foretold With thoughts inflamed of high design, puts on swift wings, toward the Gates of Hell he flies, and explores his solitary quest; He scours the right some times the left, then soars up in the clouds. Spreads his wings, at leisure to behold: Light appears, and from the walls of Heaven, Shoots into night nature begins Far off, Empyreal Heaven, extended wide once his native seat. Accursed, and in a cursed hour, he hies, full, with mischievous revenge. This pendant world, in bigness as a star and fast, by hanging in a golden chain.
3.
From Book III of John Milton's "Paradise Lost," in which God asks his angels for a volunteer to save them by dying. The angels take a huge step backwards, then God's son steps up and says he'll do it. An angel party ensues. This long sufferance and my day of grace they who neglect and scorn, shall never taste. He with his whole posterity must die, unless for him, some other pay death for death. Where shall we find such love, which of ye will be mortal to redeem man’s crime? All the Heavenly choir stood mute: on man’s behalf none appeared. I offer, on me let thine anger fall; Account me man; for his sake I’ll leave Now to Death I yield, and am his due all of me can die, yet that debt paid. Then the multitude of angels with a shout sung omnipotent, immortal, infinite. Their happy hours in joy and hymning spent. Thus they in Heaven, above the starry sphere.
4.
Delicious Paradise, crowns with her enclosure green, a woody theater of stately view. Two creatures new to sight and strange: Far nobler shape erect and tall, with native honor clad seemed lords of all. Oh, fair foundation. Simple and spotless innocence of God or angel. Naked and hand in hand they passed. Ah gentle pair, ye little think your change approaches when all delights will vanish, deliver ye to woe. Oh, fair foundation. One fatal tree stands of Knowledge called, Forbidden to taste: can it be sin to know? Why should their Lord envy them that? Proof of their obedience and their faith? By ignorance is that their happy state? He hath no need, requires no other service, not to taste that only tree So near grows Death to Life, what ere Death is. Oh, fair foundation whereon to build their ruin! Oh, fair foundation.
5.
A Dream 02:52
For I this night have dreamed, brought me on to the tree. Beside it stood one winged like one from Heaven ‘Oh, fair plant,’ said he, ‘with fruit surcharged, is knowledge so despised? This said, he plucked, he tasted. Me damp horror chilled But he thus, overjoyed; ‘O fruit divine, able to make gods of men: And why not since good, the more communicated, the author not impaired, but honored more?’ ‘Here, taste this, and be among the gods, ascend to Heaven and see what life the gods live there, and such live thou!’ I could not but taste: Forthwith up to the clouds, with him I flew, and underneath beheld, the earth outstretched immense. Suddenly, my guide was gone, and I sunk down and fell asleep. Oh, how glad I waked to find this but a dream! But a dream.
6.
His fierce chariot of torrent floods, numerous host, gloomy night under his burning wheels. His right hand grasping ten thousand thunders, sent over helmed heads as he rode. His arrows distinct with eyes from living wheels, one spirit in them, shot forth fire. His countenance into terror changed. And full of wrath bent on his enemies. His thunder meant but root them down from heaven, burnt after them to the bottomless pit. His wild anarchy so huge a rout, fraught with fire, the house of woe and pain. His countenance too severe to behold. And full of wrath with dreadful shade.
7.
Silence, ye troubled waves thou deep, peace, your discord end: Far into chaos and the world unborn. The golden compasses to circumscribe this universe One foot centered, and the other turned. Round vast profundity obscure, thy just circumference matter unformed covered the abyss. And vital virtue infused throughout the fluid mass like to like, spun out the air. Earth on her center hung sprung from the deep for yet the Sun was not, cloudy tabernacle sojourned Divided, thus the hollow universal orb filled.
8.
Lowly Wise 02:50
When I behold this goodly frame, and all her numbered stars, round this opacous earth in all their vast survey. So many nobler bodies greater to this one use. Such restless revolution, merely to light this earth? Think only what concerns thee, dream not of other worlds. Heaven is too high to know, be lowly wise. The book of God before thee, did conceal, and not divulge when they come to model Heaven and calculate the stars. That man may know he dwells not in his own; an edifice too large, in a small partition, for uses to his lord best known. Think only what concerns thee, dream not of other worlds. Heaven is too high to know, be lowly wise. Taught to live, the easiest way, nor with perplexing thoughts. Not to know of things remote in things too high, no advantage. Which before us lies in daily life, is the prime The prime wisdom. Think only what concerns thee, dream not of other worlds. Heaven is too high to know, be lowly wise.
9.
But to Adam in what sort shall I appear? Give him to partake full happiness with me. One heart, one soul. Render me more equal, for inferior who is free? Confirmed then I resolve; Adam shall share bliss or woe with me. One heart, one soul in both, death or aught shall separate us. Linked in love to undergo with me one guilt, one crime. Tasting this fair fruit, this happy trial of thy love. One heart, one soul.
10.
Thine Now 03:30
Their great adventurer ascended his high throne clad with permissive glory since his fall. Their mighty chief returned, and and with these words attention won: I call ye and declare ye forth triumphant out of this dungeon of our tyrant as Lords; a spacious world, to our native heaven little inferior. Thine now is all this world. The new world, which fame in Heaven foretold a fabric wonderful of absolute perfection, therein man placed in a paradise by our exile. His creator hath given up both man and his world to Sin and Death a prey, and so to us, to range in over man to rule as he should have. Thine now is all this world.
11.
Oh, Flowers 02:38
Oh unexpected stroke, worse than death, must I thus leave thee Paradise? These happy walks and shades, the day that must be mortal to us both. Oh flowers, that never will in other climate grow. Oh flowers, which I bred with tender hand and gave ye names. Thee lastly bower, by me adorned with what to sight or smell was sweet; from thee how shall I part, and wander down into a lower world? Oh flowers, that never will in other climate grow. Oh flowers, which I bred with tender hand and gave ye names. Who now shall rear ye to the sun, rank your tribes and water from the fount? How shall we breath in other air less pure accustomed to immortal fruits? Oh flowers, that never will in other climate grow. Oh flowers, which I bred with tender hand and gave ye names.
12.
The cherubim descended; on the ground gliding, as evening mist risen from a river. Homeward returning, high in front the brandished sword of God before them blazed. In either hand the hastening angel caught our lingering parents, and led them to the subjected plain. They looking back, beheld their happy seat, waved over by that flaming brand, the gate with dreadful faces thronged. Some natural tears they dropped, but wiped them soon; the world was all before them, where to choose their place of rest, and providence their guide: They hand in hand with wandering steps and slow, through Eden took their solitary way.

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These songs were created to capture moments from Milton's 10,000+ epic poem. The songs are mostly first-takes in hopes of keeping them immediate and sincere.

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released June 27, 2022

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Jonathan Salem Baskin Chicago, Illinois

i'm a writer, musician, and science junkie.

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