Love

In this first piece of a set called Two Pickthall Songs, the poet asks the wind to be still, life to be sufficient, and time to be merciful. Each line of the poem is set to its own unique musical phrase, which directly relates to each image of the text. The music picks up emotion and energy on the word "breath," as if the chorus is sighing. Later, the music increases its harmonic tension on the word "relentless." The closing phrase is sung on a hum, as if to represent a memory, an echo, or perhaps a shadow in the window which reminds us of something that has passed.