Koans of Lucille (2020)
I, II, III, IV
mezzo-soprano and cello
6'30"
I love Lucille Clifton's poetry for its proverbial economy, visceral symbolism, and paradoxes. I chose to set the poems above because I love how they approach themes of Paradise Lost and the Bible with a strange, dark, and unvarnished Zen. I like to think about failure in the face of God. The third poem is also a meditation on the Rosh Hashanah immediately after 9/11.

Performances:
-Shannon Keegan and Kamila Dotta, Virtual, April 7th, 2021.
-Recorded by Shannon Keegan and Kamila Dotta, Stude Hall, Houston, Texas, November 15th, 2020.