Refining
Refining
The creek braids
its silks with the river’s,
an eros of wind and water,
water and stone. Here,
even the sun has hands,
knows the shoulder’s curve,
the long bones, the flesh
supple with heat.
An otter ribbons upriver,
lithe, sleek; the ouzel flies
into a riffle, emerges singing.
The heart breaks and mends,
breaks and mends; wind and water
grind stone to sand.
In this piece composed for flute, clarinet, cello, piano, and choir, Ralph M. Johnson has created an ethereal setting for Graham’s poem “Refining.” The piano’s rolling arpeggios mimic the flow of the river while woodwinds trill and soar above. The human voices give song to words that recall for us earth’s ever-changing beauty.
Performed by the University of Minnesota, Morris, Concert Choir and premiered at the American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota, November 17, 2017, the piece was part of a program focusing on environment and sustainability. Music Copyright ©️ 2017 by Ralph M. Johnson. Used by permission.