Snow Recedes

A while back, a friend of mine asked me to write some lines for him about spring that weren’t the standard-issue, “spring means hope!” kind of stuff. He wanted to write some music around the lines, but he didn’t want them to rhyme or have any kind of set meter.

Easy enough, I said.

I wrote the words, he and a bunch of super talented musicians did the rest. I think the final result transcends my words, and I’m proud to finally have his permission to link to it here. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.

Kimberly Oppelt–mezzo-soprano
Nick Mainella–tenor saxophone
Mike Effenberger–piano
Rob Gerry–bass

“Snow Recedes”

Snow recedes, a blanket pulled from the ice
Calm hand of sun on the sheet

You can let go now
The hair horrent, frozen and taught,
veins in relaxing, melting membrane

comes loose, body rootless root, tilting mouth,
lips, months below, now surface, touch air,

calm still, no breath no breeze