I can’t get enough of these two … they are so musical!
Langston Hughes wrote: “To make words sing is a wonderful thing, Because in a song words last so long.”
The following poem by Langston Hughes was originally entitled, “Prayer.” John Musto’s song (even in this slightly abbreviated version) gives a resounding recognition that individual struggles are shared and felt by us all.
LITANY
Gather up
In the arms of your pity
The sick, the depraved,
The desperate, the tired,
All the scum
Of our weary city
Gather up
In the arms of your pity.
Gather up
in the arms of your love—
Those who expect
No love from above.
You just can’t keep a good group down. Here Cantus, both present and past members) sing “Wanting Memories” by Ysaya Maria Barnwell.
Well, this is a day late, I guess , but here is “Sunday” from one of my favorite musicals.
(Stick around to see where all the singers are located.)
Sunday, by the blue purple yellow red water
On the green purple yellow red grass
Let us pass through our perfect park
Pausing on a Sunday
By the cool blue triangular water
On the soft green elliptical grass
As we pass through arrangements of shadow
Toward the verticals of trees
Forever
By the blue purple yellow red water
On the green orange violet mass of the grass
In our perfect park
Made of flecks of light
And dark
And parasols
Bum bum bum bum bum bum
Bum bum bum
People strolling through the trees
Of a small suburban park
On an island in the river
On and ordinary Sunday
Sunday
Sunday
