Other notes - Cohen

William Stanley Braithwaite was a self-taught African American writer, editor, and critic, celebrated for his contributions to the development of 20th century American poetry. His poem "It's a Long Way," although published in 1904, speaks powerfully to me in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of us have had to put dreams on hold for an unknown length of time—delaying pivotal steps in our personal lives, careers, or education, awaiting the day we may be reunited with loved ones. In this moment of widespread uncertainty and personal yearning, we're also experiencing a powerful collective yearning for a just society to emerge from the crucible of current events. Braithwaite gives voice to a sentiment I've been holding onto these past months, in light of all of the above: "It’s work we must, and love we must, / And do the best we may, / And take the hope of dreams in trust / To keep us day by day." I’ve sought to honor Braithwaite’s bittersweet words of hope and determination with a choral setting for all of us striving to safely arrive at our journeys' shore.

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