The Quickening Gather

Apr 17, 2025

A rough dub of this original piece, featuring two – COUNT EM TWO! – 3string guitars. Written and performed by Tod Foley. Although I can’t really call it “mixing”. Rawk aut, do0d.

Listen [MP3]


T H E   Q U I C K E N I N G   G A T H E R

In the dawn or the twilight
Or simply a phase of development
The quickening gather
In wordless commune
Crossing the threshold
Dazed and amazed with antennae intent
On attending the tension
They tend to attune

In the heat of the action
Or simply in sync with insanity’s spin
The gathering quickens
To the beat of the hungers that number within
Is it passive resistance
Or active compliance that drives them along?
An instinctive insistence?
A need to belong?

     The numbers are dumb as a flock of birds
     They eat through the art with their awful words
     Or do they degrade with good intent:
     A satirical statement on sentiment?
     Is the system integral beyond the pale?
     Will we know who we are when we lift the veil?
     Is it act or reaction to gather here
     In this sickening quickening atmosphere?

In the eye of the psyclone
Or simply the stillness preceding the storm
Where the quickening gather
Eating the illness to further the form
Is the center still holding?
Are the rifters adrift, are we linked to the line?
Will the dawn still be golden?
Will we know when it’s time?

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