Program Note:

I love Lucille Clifton's poetry for its proverb-like economy, symbolism, and paradoxes. I chose to set the poems above because I love how they approach themes of Paradise Lost and the Bible. The third poem is also a beautiful meditation on the Rosh Hashanah immediately after 9/11.

Performances:

• Shannon Keegan and Kamila Dotta (virtual), April 7, 2021.

• Recorded by Shannon Keegan and Kamila Dotta, Stude Hall, Houston, Texas, November 15, 2020.