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The Things that never can come back

for unaccompanied SATB choir with divisi

About

Emily Dickinson’s poetry was mostly unpublished during her lifetime, but after her death, her sister Lavinia found her notebooks and published her nearly 1,800 poems. Emily would often jot down her thoughts on any scraps of paper she had nearby, and this poem was foundwritten on the back of a coconut cake recipe.

The way that Dickinson uses dashes to interrupt or interject ideas is suggestive of a stream of consciousness, weaving passing thoughts into a narrative. I wanted to capture this feeling by passing the phrases around between different sections in the choir, separating the clauses antiphonally while still keeping the forward motion, which has the effect of multiple voices of an inner monologue coming together into one flow.

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This piece has not yet been performed or published. If you or your group are interested in premiering a work, please contact me and I would love to work out a performance opportunity!

Text

The Things that never can come back, are several —
Childhood — some forms of Hope — the Dead —
Though Joys — like Men — may sometimes make a Journey —
And still abide —
We do not mourn for Traveler, or Sailor,
Their Routes are fair —
But think enlarged of all that they will tell us
Returning here —
"Here!" There are typic "Heres" —
Foretold Locations —
The Spirit does not stand —
Himself — at whatsoever Fathom
His Native Land —

-Emily Dickinson

The Things that never can come back

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