By The Landlord
“To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.” – William Blake
“See the world. It's more fantastic than any dream.” – Ray Bradbury
“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Soldiers, from the summit of these pyramids forty centuries look down upon you.” – Napoleon Bonaparte
“The elements are still polishing the pyramids." — Henry David Thoreau
“There in the mist, enormous, majestic, silent and terrible, stood the Great Wall of China. Solitarily, with the indifference of nature herself, it crept up the mountain side and slipped down to the depth of the valley.” – W. Somerset Maugham
Last week was a wondrous cosmic tour,
but now we're back to home-spun awe –
This orb, this sphere, this green-blue Earth
with whirring discs of sounds and mirth,
words and songs on man-made heavens,
to, and beyond, tourism's big top sevens.
Ancient Persians, Greeks of empire
had lists in bucket, sites to inspire
later enshrined in art spectacular
in the Octo Mundi Miracula.
Top? Still standing, Pyramid of Giza
(far stabler than the Tower of Pisa).
Rhodes' Colossus bestrode its harbour.
The arbor by Nebuchadnezzar?
Outstanding plant-and-pillar avalon?
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
A beacon to every sea-borne sightseer?
Towering Lighthouse of Alexandria.
A fertile goddess not to miss?
Ephesus's great Temple of Artemis.
Another erection, more for the penis?
The Statue of Zeus on Mount Olympus.
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus tomb
Was also bagging plenty of room.
All, bar Giza, hard to picture, or rhyme,
Are now long lost to the ravages of time,
From war, flood, fire, but most would break
in the shock and awe of earthquake,
but so inspiring, and not to be missed,
even still making history’s list.
The Ancient Seven Wonders of the World, as pictured in the in the 1572 Octo Mundi Miracula, by Flemish engraver Philips Galle, with inspiration sourced from classical literature. From left to right, top to bottom: Great Pyramid of Giza, Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Lighthouse of Alexandria, Colossus of Rhodes, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, and the Temple of Artemis. Rome’s Colosseum was added as the eighth
But this week's songs could also plunder
any other sites seen as a wonder.
Perhaps you'll visit the Great Wall of China?
Or the famous rock-cuts of Jordan's Petra?
Rome's old theatre could make a killing -
Colosseum's bay of the brave and unwilling.
The Mayan Chichén Itzá of Mexico
is surely worth some lyrical flow.
And who can climb up, or take any issue
with the heights of Peru's Machu Picchu?
Rio's Redeemer? Nor of supply, is any end
to songs inspired by the site of Stonehenge ...
A more recent list of world wonders
Perhaps your wonders have lateral thinking’s thrill.
World’s tallest building? ’Twas once … Lincoln Cathedral!
Towers and tunnels, channels and canals
Industrious projects to vast cities and malls,
Palace to pier, to the Empire State,
Firth of Forth to the Golden Gate.
Mostly these wonders were planned and man-made,
For ego, cash, gods (or to get laid),
Slavery + greed = dream inspiration?
Or monuments of human collaboration?
But wonders of Earth are also in nature
So what other sites might also feature?
Victoria Falls to hot geezer fountains,
Great Barrier Reef to top Table Mountains?
Grand Canyon’s depth, to Everest great heights?
It's your choice of these song-mentioned sights,
To tiny heavens you're eager to ponder
Even small ponds' own world wonder ...
Victoria Falls
So then, it’s time to gather your wonders of the world in song, and present them in comments below, for consideration by this week’s awe-inspiring architect of playlists, ShivSidecar! Deadline is 11pm UK time on Monday, for playlists published next week. Let’s get building …
New to comment? It is quick and easy. You just need to login to Disqus once. All is explained in About/FAQs ...
Fancy a turn behind the pumps at The Song Bar? Care to choose a playlist from songs nominated and write something about it? Then feel free to contact The Song Bar here, or try the usual email address. Also please follow us social media: Song Bar X, Song Bar Facebook. Song Bar YouTube, and Song Bar Instagram. Please subscribe, follow and share.
Song Bar is non-profit and is simply about sharing great music. We don’t do clickbait or advertisements. Please make any donation to help keep the Bar running.