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? 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 |