The Ears of My Ears Awake

I heard some tidbits of Eric Whitacre's work on NPR today, and rushed home to visit his site (here's his mySpace). I dig, I do. If you go to his main site, look to your left and click the lightning bolt graphic (to turn thunderstorm sound effects off), click on the mp3 player, and scroll down to i thank you God. It's worth the tortuous route thereto. Also listen to i will wade out. Helas, these are but excerpts. Go anyway.

The text to both songs is from Edward Estlin Cummings.


i thank You God for most this amazing
i thank You God for most this amazing
day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday;this is the birth
day of life and love and wings;and of the gay
great happening ilimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any - lifted from the no
of all nothing - human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

i will wade out
i will wade out
till my thighs are steeped in burning flowers
i will take the sun in my mouth
and leap into the ripe air
Alive
with closed eyes
to dash against darkness
in the sleeping curves of my body
Shall enter fingers of smooth mastery
with chasteness of sea-girls
Will i complete the mystery
of my flesh
I will rise
After a thousand years
lipping
flowers
And set my teeth in the silver of the moon