How many pounds of earth
does one worm have to sift
How many pounds of earth
does one worm have to sift

How many matings to perform
before our debts are paid
How many matings to perform
before our debts are paid

We read the prophet's casting
and we know her promise
We read the prophet's casting
and we know her promise

When we rise, we disappear
into pure water, light and air
When we rise, we disappear
into pure water, light and air

How many pounds of earth
does one worm have to sift
How many pounds of earth
does one worm have to sift

How many matings to perform
before our debts are paid
How many matings to perform
before our debts are paid

We read the prophet's casting
and have heard her promise
We read the prophet's casting
and have heard her promise

When we rise, we disappear
into pure water, light and air
When we rise, we disappear
into pure water, light and air

Sure, SL, I hear it as a heavy, monotonous mass chant. Know any good ones? Tom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB5vnpzm86g (The video's owner prevents external embedding)

info from YouTube
An arrangement of a poem by Alfred Noyes.
Phil Ochs was a lead player in the Greenwich Village folk scene of the 1960's as very powerful songwriter and voice. Sorry,
like many of my off-air recordings the beginning is clipped.

No, more like a mass of chanters in a trance.

could  not find a youtube listing but maybe you would like

to hear some clips from the CD 

The Lama's Chant

Lama Gyumé & Jean-Philippe Rykiel


http://www.amazon.com/Lamas-Chants-Lama-Gyurme/dp/B0007X9UEC

What about the chanting of Gregorian Monks?

I don't understand everything about this, but see it as exactly what you call it -- a Rite Before Rain.  It could even be some sort of rain dance.

cheryl

thank you again, Silent. I've been listening to the chants at that link, and others, and the "tune" I like for this poem begins about 30 seconds into "Mandala Offering" by the Gyuto Monks Tantric Choir on the album Tibetan Chants for World Peace. I'll see if I can email it to you. Tom

thanks, Cheryl, for weighing in. I corrected "casing" to "casting"; this is the rite of worms before rain. Now you understand everything! tom

Oh yeah, you tell us that in the first verse.  I guess I'm not used to reading the obvious. 

no, it's usual. in poetry, the writer has to expect most readers' presumption that the narrative voice is the writer's, and cope with it sufficiently, and I usally don't. I mean, Dylan asked how many seas must a white duck sail (or something) in his own authorial voice, right?

dear Tom

at 10:50 pm yesterday it was indeed my birthday

thank you for the chant

smiles from providence
silent lotus

Hey, no prob, Silent! Happy birthday! Somewhere two of the monks are acknowledging that chocolate truffle and tantric chant are indeed one. Tom