Color Field Ensemble: Amanda DeBoer Bartlett – soprano, Spencer Prewitt – clarinet, James Fusik –  tenor saxophone, Karl Larson – piano, Jeff Weston – bass, Mark Cook – percussion

Text:

Williams, William Carlos. "To a Solitary Disciple." A Book of Poems: Al Que Quiere! Boston: Four Seas, 1917. 67-68.

[divided into three parts by the composer]

Part 1

Rather notice, mon cher,

that the moon is

tilted above

the point of the steeple

than that its color

is shell-pink.

Rather observe

that it is early morning

than that the sky

is smooth

as a turquoise.

Rather grasp 

how the dark 

converging lines 

of the steeple 

meet at the pinnacle— 

perceive how 

its little ornament 

tries to stop them— 

See how it fails!

See how the converging lines

of the hexagonal spire

escape upward—

receding, dividing!

—sepals

that guard and contain

the flower!

Part 2

Observe

how motionless

the eaten moon

lies in the protecting lines.

Part 3

It is true:

in the light colors

of morning

brown-stone and slate

shine orange and dark blue.

But observe

the oppressive weight

of the squat edifice!

Observe

the jasmine lightness

of the moon.