Poet’s note: Miracle laments faith and love as they are lost and wonders as they are regained. It treats as holy what might otherwise be considered profane. A hidden central verse straddles the two other verses; it gives a physiology to human experience. The video is my recording of the musical premiere of my poem Miracle—the recording kicks in a touch late. The music, composed by the extraordinarily talented Kai Leung, was performed by the 40-person Concreamus choir conducted by Emily Parker—Kai is the artistic director. I was lucky to work with this very gifted young man when we collaborated in the Amadeus Choir’s Choral Creation Lab—three poets and three composers working together to produce nine choral works of deep meaning and beauty. When Kai first shared what he had in mind for Miracle, I was filled with wonder by how completely and sensitively he had absorbed our exploratory conversation. And by the innately poetic performance directions he had written into his initial score—shouts in a cathedral, murmurs in a heart, birdsong in a glade. This composition is the outcome of my work with Kai during the Amadeus Choir’s Choral Creation Lab Residency. The poets were mentored by Luke Hathaway, and the composers by Andrew Balfour.
gavin barrett 