Dam (The Dam part 4)

[Christopher Stewart]

(« Painting of the Zola dam near Aix-en-Provence in France » by Paul Cézanne)

The fourth movement of « The Dam » is entitled simply « Dam. » In the storyline, this is when the obstacle is recognized and the necessity of dealing with it is accepted. The truth of the matter is finally being faced.

The lyrics are pretty much ready, so better let them tell the story.

1st verse
The feeling is getting stronger / I'm aware of a dam
Building internally / This is not who I am
Conflicting directions / Identity crisis
Time has come to make a choice
Quiet the fearful voice

This current is pushing me / To play for the wrong team
I don't see how this course / Is leading to my dream
Water which has no outlet / Will die of stagnation
This is all making me daft
I am in the wrong craft

2nd verse
Too many lives at once / I need some time for me
Foreshadowed Schizoid Man / 21st century
Self-serving purposes / And matter over mind
This boat is sinking fast
The delusion can't last

Streaming the superficial / Life without an essence
Seeing through to the bottom / I can't find any sense
There's a need for something deeper / That is left unaddressed
Many questions, one answer
Myself I must enter

« The Dam » is a 22-minute long suite in 8 movements that uses the metaphor of water flowing from source to ocean to illustrate the process of individual growth.

As the title suggest, the focus is directed on one major obstacle/life-changing experience, symbolized by a dam on the river, which the protagonist/narrator has to conquer in order to reach their intended destination.

The storyline is inspired by my own life and struggle to reach the goal of earning a living through my artistic output, as opposed to working a day job to support myself and invest what’s left of my energies in artistic pursuits on a part-time basis, as I’ve done for the most part of the last twelve years or so.