Spring Giddiness for soprano and piano

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Spring Giddiness 
Text by Rumi 
Translation by Coleman Barks 

Today, like every other day, we wake up empty 
and frightened. Don't open the door to the study 
and begin reading. Take down a musical instrument. Let the beauty we love be what we do. 
There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground. 

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. 
Don't go back to sleep. 
You must ask for what you really want. 
Don't go back to sleep. 
People are going back and forth across the doorsill
where the two worlds touch. 
The door is round and open. 
Don't go back to sleep. 

I would love to kiss you. 
The price of kissing is your life. 
Now my loving is running toward my life shouting,
What a bargain, let's buy it. 

Daylight, full of small dancing particles 
and the one great turning, our souls 
are dancing with you, without feet, they dance. 
Can you see them when I whisper in your ear? 
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All day and night, music, 
a quiet, bright 
reedsong. If it 
fades, we fade. 

Duration 7′

World Premiere
Katie Sullivan, soprano; Christopher LaRosa, piano
Ithaca College, Ithaca NY
February 2009

Recording
Ali Harvey, soprano; Christopher LaRosa, piano
United Parish of Brookline, Brookline MA
April 2015
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