Australian Aphorisms (2010-13)

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Texts

Andrew Ford: Australian Aphorisms (2010-13) for six solo voices

‘The Averted’

The one whose eyes
do not meet yours
is alone at heart
and looks where the dead look
for an ally in his cause.

                                    Les Murray

 

‘Death, an Ode’

Death, you’re more successful than America,
even if we don’t choose to join you, we do.

                                    John Forbes

 

At night on the beach the galaxy looks like a grin.

                                    Judith Wright

‘Sleep’

Sometimes
sleep is
a mansion;
sometimes
a hole
you pull
over yourself.

                                    David MCooey

 

‘Spring’

Things quicken with indefinable longing,
blackbirds frantic in the garden beds.

                                    Maria Takolander

 

The highest form of love is encouragement.

                                    Barbara Blackman

 

‘Hear the bird of day’

Hear, the bird of day
Stirs in his blue tree,
Fumbles for words to say
the things a bird might learn
From brooding half the night,
What’s matter but a hardening of the light?

Out of this seed of song
Discoursing with the dark,
Now in a clear tongue
Rises his lonely voice,
And all the east is bright.
What’s matter but a hardening of the light?

Mountain and brilliant bird,
The ram and the wren,
For each there is a word;
In every grain of sand
Stands a singer in white.
What’s matter but a hardening of the light?

                                    David Campbell

Acknowledgements

‘The Averted’ © Les Murray, 2006. From The Biplane Houses, published by Black Inc. Used by permission.
‘Death, an Ode’ © Estate of John Forbes. Used by permission.
Excerpt from ‘Rockpool’ © Estate of Judith Wright.
‘Sleep’ © David McCooey, 2011. From Outside, published by Salt. Used by permission.
‘Spring’ from the sequence ‘Seasonal’ © Maria Takolander, 2009. From Ghostly Subjects, published by Salt. Used by permission.
‘The Highest Form of Love’ © Barbara Blackman. Used by permission.
‘Hear the Bird of Day’ © David Campbell Estate, used by Arrangement with the Estate, c/- Curtis Brown (Aust) Pty Ltd.

Australian Aphorisms was commissioned by Father Arthur E. Bridge for Ars Musica Australis, Barbara Blackman, Janne Ryan, David Sidebottom, Penny Lee, Daphne Sivabramaniam, Penny LeCouteur and Greg Dickson.