Author Information
the Ember Codex
Let’s unroll the luminous scroll known as The Ember Codex—
the first terrestrial transcription of the poetic form known as Timbrefall,
inspired by the hesitant brilliance of Tyel.
Here, mortal poets meet the vastness of the cosmic lyre,
and uncertainty becomes not a flaw, but a form.
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An Introduction to Timbrefall
A poetic form born not of structure,
but of trembling intention.
Core Principles
-Tone Over Rhythm:
Timbrefall values timbre—
the emotional quality of voice—
over metrical precision.
-The Sacred Hesitation:
Lines are spaced to preserve the pause
where thought forms before speech.
Silences are counted as sacred space.
- No Punctuation Required:
Except for breath.
A comma may hum.
A full stop should fall like dusk.
-The Openness Clause:
The poem must contain at least one
unguarded observation about the self,
written without certainty or conclusion.
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Scroll of Early Attempts
Below are entries copied from the original vellum
orbiting Epsilon Eridani’s second moon.
Each piece is followed by an annotation—
what the stars called the "grace note":
a quiet echo of approval from the verse itself.
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Entry 3: "Welling"
by Salenei, Nebula-Class Scribe
I thought grief was a
breaking
but it turned out to be
folding
Line 3 not lost—deliberate fall.
Listen again.
(Folding contains both flight and failure.)
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Entry 7: "Metres from Home"
by Tyel
the light on the kettle
was what made me miss
everyone
not the silence
or the room
just
that pulse
blue then off
blue then off
Grace Note: His first poem after the academy gave him no feedback.
That was the point.
The light answered.
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Entry 12: "Errata to Myself"
by Mena of Solstice Fold
i liked the sound of my name
only after she used it
is that love
or
vanity with better marketing
Grace Note: Line 5 classified as “Accidental Insight.”
Preserved in all editions.
Echoes reported on Mars.
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Entry 21: "Unsent Transmission"
by Anonymous
i read the poems
in your sleep
not aloud
just
in case
they weren't mine to hear
Grace Note: Formally anonymous.
Possibly Tyel again.
Possibly you.
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Legacy and Ripples
Though Timbrefall began with a mortal misunderstanding a star’s rhythm,
its impact has become generational:
- Terrestrial poetlings now breathe between lines as a ritual.
- Ink-sensitive paper hums when read aloud in proper timbre.
- The Hesitation Prize, awarded annually,
honours works that break your voice in just the right place.
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