‘The Voiceless’ is an instrumental song from 2009 by Northern Irish band, And So I Watch You From Afar (ASIWYFA).
‘War Horse’ is a 1975 poem about the troubles, by Irish poet Eavan Boland.
This is called Screamless/Voiceless, and it’s a mashup of both. It’s probably my favourite thing I’ve ever made, and I hope you like it.
I came across Eavan Boland’s poetry while studying for the leaving cert, and began listening to ASIWYFA a few years later. I don’t know what it is about that time in your life, when what you read, watch and listen to just seems to embed itself into your mind. Lyrics, memories and images from that time just seem more permanent.
War Horse was penned with specific thoughts on the troubles, and on the loss of identity/voice to larger political conflict, where people become losses. A theme prevalent in Boland’s poetry.
‘The Voiceless’, on the other hand, isn’t a leaving cert poem. It hasn’t been examined by legions of students and quoted to death. It can’t even be quoted. It’s six and a half minutes of pure music.
All good music and poetry means something different to each person that listens, and this song and this poem have always been connected for me.
