A Song Inspired by the Opening of John Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’, by Gunny Markefka

Milton’s Heavenly Muse

words by John Milton (Dec. 9, 1608 – Nov. 8, 1674)
musical interpretation for Milton’s birthday by Gunny Markefka

Of Man’s first disobedience
And the fruit
Of that forbidden tree

Whose mortal taste
Brought death into the World
And all our woe
With loss of Eden
Till one greater Man
Restore us
And regain the blissful seat

Sing, sing, sing, Heavenly Muse
Sing, sing, sing, Heavenly Muse

That on the secret top of Oreb
Or of Sinai
Didst inspire that shepherd
Who first taught the chosen seed
In the beginning
How the heavens and earth
Rose out of Chaos

Sing, sing, sing, Heavenly Muse
Sing, sing, sing, Heavenly Muse
Sing, sing, sing, Heavenly Muse
Sing, sing, sing, Heavenly Muse

Or if Sion hill
Delight thee more
And Siloa’s brook that flowed
Fast by the oracle of God
I thence invoke thy aid
To my adventrous song

Sing, sing, sing, Heavenly Muse
Sing, sing, sing, Heavenly Muse
Sing, sing, sing, Heavenly Muse
Sing, sing, sing, Heavenly Muse
(…)

Paradise Lost

Book I

Of Man’s first disobedience, and the fruit
Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste
Brought death into the World, and all our woe,
With loss of Eden, till one greater Man
Restore us, and regain the blissful seat,
Sing, Heavenly Muse, that, on the secret top
Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire
That shepherd who first taught the chosen seed
In the beginning how the heavens and earth
Rose out of Chaos: or, if Sion hill
Delight thee more, and Siloa’s brook that flowed
Fast by the oracle of God, I thence
Invoke thy aid to my adventurous song,
(…)

Guntbert “Gunny” Markefka is a singer-songwriter from Hannover, Germany. Since 2020 over 40 of his single releases have been released via the digital distribution label “GEMA Music-Hub.” His Great Poetry Songs can be heard here. He earned his Ph.D. at Hannover University, developed world patents in the area of Natural Language Understanding Technologies during his 20+ year career at T-Mobile / Deutsche Telekom, and served as an international director on the board of various telecom associations. Since 2020 he has been a member of the Society of Classical Poets.