David Hykes & Dennis Lewis: A Celebration of Music & Poetry

Dennis Lewis

For my 65th birthday celebration, which took place in 2005, I wrote a poem about my life and presented it, along with some of my favorite poems, to those who gathered to celebrate with Dasha (my wife) and me in our former home in San Francisco.

My good friend and spiritual brother David Hykes–award-winning composer, singer, founder of Harmonic Chant, and long-time contemplative practitioner–traveled to be with us, and sang before, during, and after the readings. David’s singing was amazingly beautiful and especially relevant to the poems I read.

Besides my own poem, “These Passing Years,” which ends the reading, these poems include “Four Tao Philosophers,” by Robert Francis; “What if You Slept,” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge; “I Live My Life in Growing Orbits” and “You See I Want a Lot,” by Rainer Maria Rilke”; “The Road Not Taken,” by Robert Frost; “Are You Looking for Me?”, by Kabir (translated by Stephen Mitchell); “I Came Out Alone on My Way to My Tryst,” by Rabindranath Tagore; and “Guest House,” by Jelaluddin Rumi (translated by Coleman Barks).”

David Hykes

“It was quite a special evening! We all shared a real sense of attuning, and attunement, gathered together for the joyful birthday celebration for my friend and spiritual brother Dennis Lewis. The evening reminded me that we’re all brothers and sisters on the path to Awakening, the manifestation of our true nature.

The ‘music of the spheres of listening’ I offered –selected compositions of Harmonic Chant– were drawn from my albums ‘Hearing Solar Winds Alight’ and ‘Harmonic Worlds,’ which are available at www.cdbaby.com. Information about the music and related contemplative practices is on our website, www.harmonicpresence.org.” –David Hykes
Pommereau, Autainville, France 41240
http://www.presenceharmonique.org
Tél. +33 9 52 56 74 69

LISTEN TO DENNIS LEWIS’ 65TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION, WITH DAVID HYKES