Dies Irae – Requiem for a Lost Soul In Understanding Dominic

About the Book

As found in the Roman Missal, the Dies Irae is a Latin poem of fifty-seven lines in accentual (non-quantitative), rhymed, trochaic metre. It comprises nineteen stanzas, of which the first seventeen follow the type of the first stanza: Dies irae, dies illa, Solvet saecum in favilla: Teste David cum Sibylla. The remaining stanzas discard the scheme of triple rhymes in favour of rhymed couplets, while the last two lines use assonance instead of rhyme and are, moreover, catalectic: Lacrimosa dies illa, Qua resurget ex favilla, Judicandus homo reus. Huic ergo parce Deus: Pie Jesu Domine, Dona eis requiem. Amen. The Dies Irae is the opening image of In Understanding Dominic - A Folio of the Poetical Writings of Jeffrey Keith Gough. The protagonist of the work is Dominic, a fictitious character, who is a deeply religious Catholic man, troubled in his relationships with others; especially in his interactions with the women closest to him. His quest for meaning in his life - and relevance in his work - is enduring throughout the work. Dominic's focus on death - and his yearning for the grave in order to obtain relief from his misery and tribulations - is disturbing. An insightful collection of reflections, which shed light onto the eyes of a man in turmoil, whose heart, mind, and soul are never truly satisfied. Recommended reading for those seeking an appreciation of how a small minority of troubled people may view the world and the people around them.

About the Author

As a schoolboy, Jeffrey was a Naval Reserve Cadet before serving as a Midshipman in the Royal Australian Navy. An Associate of the State Conservatorium of Music, Jeffrey studied pipe organ under the tutelage of David Rumsey and Jim Forsyth at the School of Organ and Church Music of the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music. He read English at University College of the University of New South Wales and then Latin at John XXIII College of the Australian National University before continuing his studies at Westminster House in the United Kingdom. Former Organist at the Chapel of Our Lady of Westminster, Jeffrey founded Gough Litmus Composition Services Pty Limited in 2020 as the entity through which he publishes his literary and musical compositions. Gough Litmus Composition Services Pty Limited is an Affiliate Regional Member of the Royal School of Church Music (Queensland Branch). A former chorister in the Choir of St Alban’s Anglican Church in North Epping, and the Choir of All Saints’ Anglican Church in Hunters Hill, since relocating from New South Wales to Queensland, Jeffrey has sung with the Bach Society of Queensland from 2021-2023 and the Cairns Choral Society in 2023. Now resident in Cairns, Jeffrey is a Foundation Member of the Veteran Community Business Chamber member, a member of the Queensland Writers Centre and a supporter of the Rondo Theatre and the Cairns Tropical Writers’ Festival. Jeffrey Gough Director, Gough Litmus Composition Services Pty Ltd e-mail: director.goughlitmus@outlook.com website: https://www.gough-litmus-c-s-pl.com/ mobile: 0456 959 529