American Sonnets
In 2020, I was asked to compose a piece using the provocative poetry of Terrance Hayes. I chose the following three poems from Hayes’ collection American Sonnets For My Past and Future Assassin because I felt they represented my personal state of mind and view points as a Black American man (especially Inside Me) at that time. This piece was commissioned by the Brooklyn Art Song Society.
I.
Inside me is a black-eyed animal
Bracing in a small stall. As if a bird
Could grow without breaking its shell.
As if the clatter of a thousand black
Birds whipping in a storm could be hels
In a shell. Inside me is a huge black
Bull balled small enough to fit inside
The bead of a nipple ring. I mean to leave
A record of my raptures. I was raised
By a beautiful man. I loved his grasp of time.
My mother shaped my grasp of space.
Would you rather spend the rest of eternity
With your wild wings bewildering a cage or
With your four good feet stuck in a plot of dirt?
II.
You don't seem to want it, but you wanted it.
You don't seem to want it, but you won't admit it.
You don't seem to want admittance.
You don't seem to want admission.
You don't seem to want it, but you hant it.
You don't seem too haunted, but you haunted.
You don't seem to get it, but you got it.
You don't seem to care, but you care.
You don't seem to buy it, but you sell it.
You don't seem to want it, but you wanted it.
You don't seem to prey, but you prey,
You don't seem to pray but you full of prayers,
You don't seem to want it, but you wanted it.
You don't seem too haunted, but you haunted.
III.
I'm full of more water than a forest
And the adrenaline of a spooked horse.
But I'm a Time Lord. My armor is flesh
And spirit. I carry a flag bearing a different
Nation on each side. I carry money bearing
The face of my assassins. I'm good company
And pretty fun for a little while. A whirlwind,
I tend to repeat my mistakes. I'm a camera
With no cameraman, my own personal
Assisstant & assassin. The truth is easy to see
When it's before you, but it's deceptive
Otherwise. I am selfish. I am religion.
You are religion. Together we are a religion.
My love is oppressive. I'm a Time Lord.
Used with permission from Terrance Hayes.
Perusal Score:
American Sonnets
12 minutes
Baritone and Piano
Will Liverman
Brooklyn Art Song Society
In 2020, I was asked to compose a piece using the provocative poetry of Terrance Hayes. I chose the following three poems from Hayes’ collection American Sonnets For My Past and Future Assassin because I felt they represented my personal state of mind and view points as a Black American man (especially Inside Me) at that time. This piece was commissioned by the Brooklyn Art Song Society.
I.
Inside me is a black-eyed animal
Bracing in a small stall. As if a bird
Could grow without breaking its shell.
As if the clatter of a thousand black
Birds whipping in a storm could be hels
In a shell. Inside me is a huge black
Bull balled small enough to fit inside
The bead of a nipple ring. I mean to leave
A record of my raptures. I was raised
By a beautiful man. I loved his grasp of time.
My mother shaped my grasp of space.
Would you rather spend the rest of eternity
With your wild wings bewildering a cage or
With your four good feet stuck in a plot of dirt?
II.
You don't seem to want it, but you wanted it.
You don't seem to want it, but you won't admit it.
You don't seem to want admittance.
You don't seem to want admission.
You don't seem to want it, but you hant it.
You don't seem too haunted, but you haunted.
You don't seem to get it, but you got it.
You don't seem to care, but you care.
You don't seem to buy it, but you sell it.
You don't seem to want it, but you wanted it.
You don't seem to prey, but you prey,
You don't seem to pray but you full of prayers,
You don't seem to want it, but you wanted it.
You don't seem too haunted, but you haunted.
III.
I'm full of more water than a forest
And the adrenaline of a spooked horse.
But I'm a Time Lord. My armor is flesh
And spirit. I carry a flag bearing a different
Nation on each side. I carry money bearing
The face of my assassins. I'm good company
And pretty fun for a little while. A whirlwind,
I tend to repeat my mistakes. I'm a camera
With no cameraman, my own personal
Assisstant & assassin. The truth is easy to see
When it's before you, but it's deceptive
Otherwise. I am selfish. I am religion.
You are religion. Together we are a religion.
My love is oppressive. I'm a Time Lord.
Used with permission from Terrance Hayes.
Perusal Score: