The Whirr of Wings

Song Cycle by Stanley Grill (b. 1953)

1. Interim
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
The earth is motionless
And poised in space …
A great bird resting in its flight
Between the alleys of the stars.
It is the wind’s hour off ….
The wind has nestled down among the corn ….
The two speak privately together,
Awaiting the whirr of wings.

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2. Behold, from the land of the farther suns 
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Behold, from the land of the farther suns
I returned.
And I was in a reptile-swarming place,
Peopled, otherwise, with grimaces,
Shrouded above in black impenetrableness.
I shrank, loathing,
Sick with it.
And I said to him,
“What is this?”
He made answer slowly,
“Spirit, this is a world;
“This was your home.”

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3. Black Horizons 
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Black horizons, come up.
Black horizons, kiss me.
That is all; so many lies; killing so cheap;
babies so cheap; blood, people so cheap; and
land high, land dear; a speck of the earth
costs; a suck at the tit of Mother Dirt so
clean and strong, it costs; fences, papers,
sheriffs; fences, laws, guns; and so many
stars and so few hours to dream; such a big
song and so little a footing to stand and
sing; take a look; wars to come; red rivers
to cross.
Black horizons, come up.
Black horizons, kiss me.

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4. Let them not say
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Let them not say: we did not see it
 [ ... ]

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5. Earth Your Dancing Place 
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Beneath heaven’s vault
 [ ... ]

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Total word count: 424