Mr. Altig’s Overview of the Wonderful Dharma of the Lotus Sutra

“The Eye and Heart (Torch Song)”

This melancholic Jazz torch song brings to life the poetic conflict between the Eye and the Heart. It is inspired by Shakespeare’s Sonnet 46. The piece is set in F Major. It features a soulful male vocal performance and rich piano accompaniment. The grounding rhythm section and poignant oboe solo enhance the composition. Violins weave through the arrangement, adding depth to the emotional tension and harmony of this introspective piece. “The Eye and Heart” tells a story of balance and unity. It invites you to explore the intersection of beauty, love, and perception.

Lyric:
The Eye and Heart once fell to fight,
Each claiming what they thought was right.
Said Eye, “Their beauty I behold,
Their every feature, bright and bold.

Without my gaze, you’d never know
The grace and form that make them glow.”
The Heart replied, “But what I keep
Goes far beyond what eyes can reap.

For in my depths, their love resides,
A hidden truth your view denies.”
They quarreled on, both firm, intense,
Until the Thoughts were called for sense.

The Thoughts decreed, with voices clear,
“Each holds a part that’s just as dear.
The Eye may claim their outer frame,
While Heart can hold the love’s true flame.”

And so, in balance, they would stay,
To cherish all in their own way.
For only joined could they unite
The soul within, the form in sight.