Listen "The River: Nathaniel Bellows and Sarah Kirkland Snider"
Episode Synopsis
Nathaniel Bellows’ poem and Sarah Kirkland Snider's haunting setting of it—from her song cycle Unremembered—revisit the site of a childhood trauma and meditate on innocence and the mechanisms of memory. The performance of the song features vocalists Padma Newsome, DM Stith, and Shara Worden, and the Unremembered Orchestra (members of ACME, Alarm Will Sound, ICE, The Knights, and Sō Percussion), conducted by Edwin Outwater. In the episode I discuss Nathaniel Bellows' illustration that accompanies his poem; you can find this illustration, as well as the others associated with the song cycle, on the Unremembered website.The Riverby Nathaniel BellowsOn the banksThe wash so brownThe shadows blueThey’re blackI saw the formAstride the loamSplayed out uponIts backA bear, a dogA bed, a logA child’s eyesAre pureUntil the handsOf the missing manWere clear againstThe dewThe river’s flowA blackened bowThat tied aroundOur townHad sapped his lifeLike a lantern’s lightBuriedUnderground
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