Geter | Cotton

Cotton a Song Cycle for Mezzo-Soprano, Baritone, and Piano Commissioned by Lyric Fest

R

Damien Geter

E

Music by

SC O

I. The Cotton Weeps (Baritone)............................................................................................1 Text by Marc Bamuthi Joseph II. The Night Before the Run (Mezzo).................................................................................7 Text by Alora Young

SA L

III. They Took My Sister (Mezzo)....................................................................................... 15 Text by Lauren Alleyne IV. Homegoing for the People of the Sun (Baitone)...................................................... 22 Text by Trapeta B. Mayson

U

V. Cotton in the Arms of the Mountains (Mezzo)......................................................... 30 Text by Nikki Giovanni

R

VI. When the Ancestors Speak (Baritone)....................................................................... 36 Text by Glenis Redmond

PE

VII. When the Angels Come (Baritone)........................................................................... 44 Text by Afaa M. Weaver VIII. The Struggle Goes On: A Mural Speaks (Mezzo)................................................. 52 Text by Charlotte Blake Alston

Copyright © 2022 Damien Geter. All Rights Reserved.

Published by Just a Theory Press | www.justatheorypress.com

R

PE U SA L R

SC O

E

Cotton a Song Cycle for Mezzo-Soprano, Baritone, and Piano Commissioned by Lyric Fest

R

Damien Geter

E

Music by

SC O

I. The Cotton Weeps (Baritone)............................................................................................1 Text by Marc Bamuthi Joseph II. The Night Before the Run (Mezzo).................................................................................7 Text by Alora Young

SA L

III. They Took My Sister (Mezzo)....................................................................................... 15 Text by Lauren Alleyne IV. Homegoing for the People of the Sun (Baitone)...................................................... 22 Text by Trapeta B. Mayson

U

V. Cotton in the Arms of the Mountains (Mezzo)......................................................... 30 Text by Nikki Giovanni

R

VI. When the Ancestors Speak (Baritone)....................................................................... 36 Text by Glenis Redmond

PE

VII. When the Angels Come (Baritone)........................................................................... 44 Text by Afaa M. Weaver VIII. The Struggle Goes On: A Mural Speaks (Mezzo)................................................. 52 Text by Charlotte Blake Alston

Copyright © 2022 Damien Geter. All Rights Reserved.

Published by Just a Theory Press | www.justatheorypress.com

Texts

cotton is a strange fruit, indeed the south remembers when we were free remembers when we trusted the stars when we ventured into the darkness by faith traveled to places we couldn’t see

the south remembers/ the rivers bleed/ The cotton remembers Whose land and Whose relatives weep

U

chanted text doctrines sovereign prerogatives whole human beings

E

That night i dreamt of day lilies fresh picked battered and then lard fried sweetest morsels of the forest the kind of treat we had to hide in the north they will ignore us as we do all freely imbibe heard they aint got cotton, just snow

To see the beauty of winter Without the fear of being split forever Making up their money with our pain Were leaving this place because the angels are coming Find your way home out of a field of cotton How do you find your way home out of a field of cotton Learning to read reading the stars Baptize me before i go So if i die i might se heaven This is my hell my home and in the evening im leaving Fleeing the growing season like flocks of grackles Black bodies creep in herds away from here See the little winged creatures rich with darkness I wonder if they fear as we fear.

SA L

the feeling before paper promises and weeping cotton fields

Alora Young

R

in some version of American truth cotton weeps power from the pores of a powder blue sky cotton is a hurricane swept through and then gone swept in like a black life and then gone like a truth gone with the wind of a dark American night

II. The Night Before the Run*

SC O

I. The Cotten Weeps Marc Bamuthi Joseph

I hope we get to see that snow

PE

R

Gone with the wind of a dark American night…

Momma taught me the drinking gourd Incase we got to split apart I hope that i never leave her I think that it would break my heart Together we’ll see all that snow

ii

* Poem excerpted.

Texts (cont.)

IV. Homegoing for the People of the Sun* Trapeta B. Mayson

Before she came, moon-child, I was a complete and solitary thing— the un-sistered system of myself.

Sister a world we made each other live in. Sister a slight anchor in history’s unforgiving sea.

Will I know myself without the gravity of her pulling me like a willful sun?

and even when they would not bury us we had our homegoings our people digging with shovels and pickaxes and love deep into the earth’s grooves down past the sod, parting the soil, to tunnel under the dirt of this land to carry us home

SA L

Come the cotton-bright morning, How can you, Sister, my phantom heart,

when they would not bury us we held our homegoings and in our leaving we were still luminous we were holy and spirited bones and flesh sweat and sacrifice artfully handled till we resembled ourselves venerated and gilded in Sunday best going to meet our maker with flair reposed and encased in our new home among our watch night folks keeping wake they were a weeping and a mourning through the night then, at daybreak, our own laid us to rest they were a weeping and a mourning through the day and singing and clapping our earthly selves away

E

Night lacks the shadow of her face. Unwhispering, the air mourns her sleep’s unguarded breath.

There is empty where was her— Sister a song turned a cavern of sorrow; Sister a dirt road my feet hunger for.

R

Lauren Alleyne

SC O

III. They Took My Sister

PE

R

U

be gone?

we are the people of the sun we go home too and in our home going there are chariots and pomp grandeur and majesty, sending us to glory

iii

Texts (cont.)

V. Cotton in the Arms of Mountains

VI. When the Ancestors Speak*

Nikki Giovanni

Glenis Redmond When the ancestors speak they hover like fog–– They come. They call…

When haints haunt, they illuminate how cotton covers, colors, and clings to everything.

Lint on body. Hair. History.

When the ancestors speak, they show us those who choke and broke.

They tell of cotton: how deep the hold, how tall the plant grows, how wide the field.

They sing of how cotton creeps up family trees: spilled blood and kinships severed.

E

A gentle wind Like a loving granddaughter Combing Her grandmother’s hair Carried her gift To the beginning

PE

SC O

R

A gentle wind Carrying the white hair To the waiting Arms We call it glacial We call it ice We should call it Cotton

When ancestors speak, they come out of the crop, bid us to see white blooms, white hands, and white greed snatching breath and bodies.

They come, plain as day–– with dreams/signs: wind-sweep, orange butterflies circling.

Say, see us fully our picked raw hands our worn-down brogans or calloused bare feet.

SA L

U

A gentle wind Blew white hair Off grandmothers Up and up and up Settling in the arms Of grandfathers Who were lynched Or whipped Or shot but always looking At Grandmothers To reflect in their eyes The love

R

We think its ice But really its cotton On the top of mountains Built on the bones Of those who came before

resting in the arms

iii

Ancestors in the air lay bare songs and stories.

Fill empty pages with a field of us a calligraphy: of brilliant black verse

Texts (conc.)

Sleeping in the darkness, we hear ghosts speak our lost tongues, and some crisp thing tears, a sound like we hear cotton make, when we shake the sacks, some itch, like lips making a mouth wet enough to sing.

Low shadows in the voice

She harnessed her…

STRENGTH, worked and sacrificed. She TRANSCENDED new barriers, paid each new price. Yet REGAL, resistant, refused to yield UNDER northern versions of the cotton field. With GRIT, fortitude, a self-Love Supreme - the GRANDEUR of an African Queen – she LIVED, loved, labored, claimed her place ENDURED. NO! Transcended, with Grace!

So lift your head, pick up your stride And walk like you’ve got some ancestor pride You will not bend -You will not yield You’ll water your seeds in Freedom’s field

SA L

Now, here with us. The children scream on the planks of wood, their beds, and the strong ones draw back. Elder Malik lifts up and speaks, “Don’t be afraid,” as we see our faces in their faces, our love.

With dignity and hope intact, Back unbent, no looking back She rode the crest of a swelling tide North – where a dream just might be realized

E

Up in the rafters, the children sleep where we old folk are too weak to climb, the babies next to us, whimpering, our quarters as full as the giant ships with chains sailing in our nightmares.

Moonlight, a path on the seas

R

Afaa M. Weaver

VIII. The Struggle Goes On: A Mural Speaks Charlotte Blake Alston

SC O

VII. When the Angels Come*

Of hope, dignity, truth, and the strength to fight on Until true justice-for-all rises up with the dawn.

U

Awesi, we call her, Great Spirit Awesi to take breath away from the overseers riding white horses through the high cotton, Awesi who will lock the doors, set the cotton to rot, and weep for our dead in the thunderstorms.

Moonlight a path on the seas

PE

R

Through the opening in the air, the door, three nights later comes another as Awesi holds a handful of earth up to her heart, lifts it out, tosses it up so each grain sparkles, and a man, Great Spirit Abeiku emerges.

Cotton won’t hold us, cotton won’t rise, the bolls will bear blood in the unbound lies, ancestors riding the sunrise, living in sunset, the moon writing in blood, history’s palette, while our eyes, all our eyes, appeal for justice.

Moonlight on the seas

iv

Program Note Cotton is a song cycle that was inspired by the photographs of John Dowell. His provocative images served as the subject for eight prominent Black American poets who tell the story of the photos through text - which I then turned to songs. Each song is embedded with an American tune which highlights the “American-ness” of this narrative.

PE

R

U

SA L

SC O

R

E

—Damien Geter (2022)

Copyright © 2022 Damien Geter. All Rights Reserved.

Published by Just a Theory Press | www.justatheorypress.com

Commissioned by Lyric Fest

Cotton song cycle for mezzo-soprano, baritone, and piano Lyrics by

Music by

Various

Damien Geter

I. e Coon Weeps Text by

Marc Bamuthi Joseph

Piano

                  

5





           

  



 

   

    





  

 

  

         

 

of the A - mer



  



U





R

 



10





PE



  

  

-



  

        



 



          

  



       sub.      

 

 sub. 

i - can

truth

                            

Copyright © 2022 Damien Geter Music. All Rights Reserved.

Published by Just a eory Press | www.justatheorypress.com

 



SA L

 





     

E





SC O

    

BARITONE

R

Timorous  = 65

 

     

  

 

In some

ver - sion

   

rit.

   

 

 

 

 = 50

 



  

        

Damien Geter | Coon

2

14



Cot - ton weeps



of

a

pow - der blue



 sky.





  

                    

 

                               

   





          

21

is like



a

hur

  

-

E

Whirling  = 60

R

17



  

                       



 

   

ri - cane

 

swept through and then

PE

R

U

                                                                24                   gone.



the pores



                                                                            

Cot - ton



from



SC O



po - wer



SA L



    



                                                         

Swept



in like

a

     

   



Black

 

 

        

I. e Coon Weeps



 





Like

the

truth

30

                                   gone

with the

                        

wind

                                          

SA L

                 

32

   

dark A - mer - i - can





   

35

 = 65

   

            



night.

                            

   



 soo voce   

Cot - ton

 



  

  is

a





strange fruit,

 

 

       

      of      sub.   

  

U



    

gone.

R





         

  

PE



     

and then





E

life

     

R



SC O

    

27

3

a

     

                      = 112







in - deed.

     

 

 

  

                 

 



45



   

 = 65 



   

    

    



    

      



    



- ness.

U 

   



 

 







     





   

we could



                

  -

n’t

    

   

see.

         

     

   

      

the stars.

  



faith,



   

 

When

                

     





  

   

By



            

 

                           

dark -

 



trust - ed

ven - tured in - to the

R 

we



PE

   



 = 112

were free.

        

  

                       52

we

   



49

pla - ces





Re - mem - bers when

we



  

       





 

re - mem - bers when

  

E

      

 





R







SC O

  

 

      e South  

 = 65

SA L

40

  

Damien Geter | Coon

4

tra - veled to





 

        

    

       

       

e feel - ing

 

I. e Coon Weeps



 

 

 

  



  



  

  





bers.

    

  

 



PE

   

  

      



e

  

  

  





72





R

  



   -











  







vers

bleed.



   

-





 

   

e

   

   

Re - mem - ber…

     

   

      

ri



 





 

 

  





  e

 

  

  

 

weep - ing cot - ton fields.

         

    

 



       

      

 

Just slightly faster  = 70

- mem



 

and

 

lunga





 

  

E

     

67

 

SA L



       

60



be - fore pa - per pro - mi - ses

U



          

R

   

    

SC O

56

5



lunga

South

re -

     







Re - mem - ber…





  

  

 





co - ton





    

re - mem - bers whose

        

   

 



 

land and whose re - la - tives

            

 = 65    

85

  

bleed.



e South

doc - trines.

      

  



Whole hu - man

be - ings.

        

                        



 = 65

  

96

 

e

ri - vers

        

      

  



 

                       

  

 

-



ro - ga - tives.

 





Gone with the wind of a



dark A - mer - i - can

    



 































night…



 





  

slow

fast



 





 

              



SA L



 

  

Ever hushed  = 55

rit.



     





 

    

 

sove - reign pre

    

92

re - mem - bers.





  



              

   

          





U



       

Chant - ed text

weep.

  

PE



   

  



R



   

  

E





R

78

Damien Geter | Coon

SC O

6

 





 





  



7

II. e Night Before the Run Text by

Alora Young

 = 65

   



E

    

cresc. poco a poco



                                   

   

  

SA L

   

 

    

  

 



                                                      

U

7

R



                  

4



                                                               

      

  



PE





R



Piano



SC O

MEZZOSOPRANO

 

 



  

        

 

                                  sub.                                   

10

Damien Geter | Coon

8

       

13

 

at night

li - lies.

                                                                   16                   Fresh picked bat - tered and then lard fried.                        sub.                                                   19                       

SA L

SC O

R

E

    

                  sub.                                            

22







Sweet - est mor - sels



for - est.



 

of

the

U



day



R



I dreamt of

PE



   

   

                                



 









e

kind

of

treat we

 



 had



to



                              

II. e Night Before the Run

 

25

 



  

   

 



the north they







will

ig



-

- nore

 

   

us

as

 

R



  

SC O

28

E

                                      

we

do all free - ly

im - bibe.



31









Heard





SA L

                                                                                 rit.

    

 



they ain’t got cot - ton,

just



a tempo



snow.

               

                            33              To



In



U



hide.

R





     



PE







 

9

see

the

beau

-

ty



   of



 win

 -

ter.

                                            

Damien Geter | Coon

    

39

   

 



  



 



for - e



  

   

their mo - ney with our pain.

 

    

   



-





ver.

Ma - king

  



      



  

     

E

be - ing split

     

com - ing.

  



We’re leav - ing this place

be - cause the an - gels are

                            

    





 

            



Find your way home

 

  

 



out of

a

 

  

                                                               41                            field



of

 



SC O

    







   

  

fear

 



37

up

the





U



 



R



 

With - out



  

PE



  





SA L

  

35

R

10

of cot - ton.

How

do you find your way home out of a field

                                                      

of







   

II. e Night Before the Run







cot - ton?

Learn - ing to read,







                         

   





Bap - tize

 

54



    

my home.





  

SA L

    

  

   



- ven.  might see hea                

So if

I die,

 

   

 = 65

 



   

 



      



I

     

is

   

     

is my hell,

                           





  





 Flee - ing the grow - ing                        

And in the eve - ning I’m leav - ing.

                       

read - ing the stars.

                            

U



    

    

 

me be - fore I go.

R



 

  

50

PE



   

         

    



          

With reflection  = 50

46





SC O



    

  

   

E



  

R

  

43

11

Damien Geter | Coon

 

       rit.

  

sea - son like flocks of grack - les.





    



 



    

60

     

        a - way

from here.

     

 

   

62

  



 





R

   

64

 

See the lit - tle winged crea - tures

                  

    

                   

I



 



 



 

                                

                           rich with dark - ness.

 

 

   

 

 

         

   

       

 

 





won - der if they fear as we fear.

   

 

  

Black bo - dies creep in

SA L



  



               

PE





  

herds





U



     



a tempo

R



  

SC O

57

E

12

  



 

                      

   

II. e Night Before the Run

  







 

we got



that

R

U



PE 





think



hope





 

 

    





it would break my heart.

 

 

           

I

 



 

in



  

           sub.       

73

gourd

 



      

 





will

ne - ver

 

 



                      

                     I



ing

               

    

      

71

-



 



 

to split a - part.







   

   

case

drink



E

  

69

  

the

SA L



           sub.       

taught me



R

Mom - ma



SC O

       

67

13







leave



 



her.

I

                    







   To

                                       

-

Damien Geter | Coon

75



  



- ge - ther

we’ll see

all

that snow.

                                

 

   







 

                                         

R

   



     



  



   

I

we

get to see that

hope



snow.

PE

R

U

SA L

                                                         

81







 

78







SC O



  

E

14





  







rit.

                             



15

III. ey Took My Sister Text by

Lauren Alleyne

Mournfully  = 70

6













  

  

 



  

  













 sempre           

  



Ooh

          

15





U

12

 



    





 



    



  



 



 

         









E



SA L





    

R



            (down for entirety of opening)

       



          

    

PE







SC O

Piano



R

   

MEZZOSOPRANO

  Ooh



                          

             





  

  

           

            

Damien Geter | Coon

16



       

Night lacks

21

 



 



24



 

 

      

27

Sis - ter,







      



 

  





               

 

  

 



a

song

                             

               





the air



R





PE





face.



U

- guard - ed breath.





                





Un - whis - per - ing

 



the sha - dow of her

E

          

     

  

SC O



         





SA L



 



R

18





 



em - pty where was her…

 





   

    

ca - vern

of

sor

 

-





          

ere is



un

        



 

      

 

  







mourns her sleep’s

 

   turned a

 

 

-

row;







                          

III. ey Took My Sister

                    a tempo

    

   

Be

      

36

        

U

             



 



 



- self.



road my feet



 

  

  





 

hun - ger

 



       

 



                     

 



  

   

 

  

   

     

 

          

    

39



dirt

e un - sis - tered

R







PE



 

 

fore she came, moon - child, I was a com - plete

         

          

sol - i - tar - y thing.



-

    



SC O

rit.

for.



a



33

 

          

Sis - ter





SA L





  



E

 

R

30

17

 

    

 

sys - tem

of





 



           

and

my -





 

                             

Damien Geter | Coon

18

    ( )       

45



-

ther

live

  

 

   

rit.

  



  



  

53

 

Will





 

  



 



 

in his - tory’s un - for -



 





  









  

  

  

  















 

I

 

 

 

 

know

 

  

  

  

 

     



  

 

      



R

PE

        

  



  

U

  

 = 140

 

a slight an - chor

                                            



48

in.

                                   

Sis - ter

- giv - ing sea.



a world we made each o



 



    

E

   



 

SA L



   

 



R

Sis - ter

 

 

SC O

      

42

 

  

  

     

  

  

 my -





     

III. ey Took My Sister

-self…

                                        

   

 







I



 





 = 70        

68

with - out





 



my - self

 



  

  





      

       

 



 



  



  



  

   

  

 









Will







 

 

gra - vi

U

R 



 

the…

    



know

 

71

know







 



PE





                 - self





     

SC O

   

64

SA L





     



 





  

the

gra - vi - ty



with - out



     

  

E

 

R

        

59

19

     



-

my









  

 



     

   

Will I



 

-

 

 

ty.

 







          



of

her

      

        

     



pull

              -



   ing,

       

  

 

 

    

    pull -

-

 

  

 



- ing,

me

       





-

- ing,

pull

  

  

pull -

   

Come



the cot - ton,





 





Pull - ing



pull -

    

               

 

PE

  



-

      

Slower than the beginning  = 60

   

-

   

-

 

1.

    

 

87

-

SA L



pull,

U



2.

ing,

R

83

-

  

            

ing.



-



 

E

78

-



-





  

R

     

75



Damien Geter | Coon

Urgently  = 120





SC O

20

like



 



 

a

    



-

-

 

- ing

rit.

  



will - full

  

 = 140

      



                       

  

 

   

bright morn - ing…



-





 sun?

   

 

 

 

   

 

  

 













   

   

   

III. ey Took My Sister

 = 60 

  







    How can you…

                             

   

 

R  = 140

98

  

  













phan - tom heart

be

  



gone?



 



 

SA L











   

    

U





R



      

my

SC O





sis - ter…





  

  

E

93

21

PE

fade to niente, stopping whenever you would like or need to

103

 



 





























   

   

   

   

   







      



22

IV. Homegoing for the People of the Sun Text by

Trapeta B. Mayson

Lento, the sounds of bells in fog

5





 

    



 





 

   

    



SA L

R

PE

    

11





 

U

 

  

           

   



   





 

When they would not



 

  

        

                            

  

    

And in



        

        

 

  

 

 

our leav - ing we were still

                                    



     

we held our home - go - ings.

  

  



          

              

us.

                        

   

  



       

            8       bu - ry



 

 



            

E

           

Plodding, andante  = 55

 







R

Piano



SC O

BARITONE

   

  

   

IV. Homegoing for the People of the Sun 14

     lum



We

             

  

        

20

23

 

and

  

Sweat

spir

E

-

i - ed.

         

          





and

sa

-



    

  

 

         

  

  

 



cri - fice.

R







 

                                                                   



PE

     

and flesh.

were ho - ly

     

    

     

   

      



  



 

R



  

SC O

17

Bones





                                                                   

   

SA L



i - nous.

 



U



-

  

  

 

23





 





                                                                   

       

Damien Geter | Coon

24

    

27

Art - ful - ly





 

till we re - sem - ble our - selves.

           

                                                           

      

  

  

Ven - er - a - ted

  

     

  

with

 

  

to meet

our

ma - ker

  

        

         

flair.

Re - posed

      



 



 

day best.

    

 

 

 

-

     

With a bit of pride  = 55               

                    

  

     

Go - ing



Sun

      

   

                     

 

  

in

SA L

  

34

37

gil - ded

            

           

  

and

  



R

31

SC O

   

E

           

U



hand - led

R



 

PE



         



            

                

and

        

            

en - cased

    

   

  

   

 

   

   

in

our

      

   

IV. Homegoing for the People of the Sun



  



Con moto  = 60





 

46



and a





     

49

  

   

day - break

              

    

  soo voce  ey

 



were



a

 



        



   

our own laid us

to

                                    

 

rest.

      

  



keep - ing wake.

  



  

weep - ing.

     

    



   





  

mourn - ing through the night.

                              



folks

      

                                   









SA L

 



A - mong our watch night

                              





U





      

R



43

  

PE



            

home.

 



E

new

  

rit.

R

stringendo

SC O

      

40

25

 

   

en at

                      

   

           ey were a weep - ing

 

    

          



   

Damien Geter | Coon

26



and

a

       

 

          

 = 55

 



 

     

  



 

  

 

     

    





  

  



we held our home - go - ings.

      

     







  

     



  

             



 

 

 



   

U

    

 

             

And e - ven when they would not

R

    

62





   

                                       

   



 



SA L

 



 

And sing - ing and clap - ping our

             



  

PE



                  59

     







      

  

Earth - ly selves a - way.





mourn - ing through the day.

   

55





E





 

R



SC O



53



      

  

   

bu - ry us.

                         

  

  

   

   

Our peo - ple dig - ging

 

 

 



IV. Homegoing for the People of the Sun

With sho - vels and pick - ax - es and

           



               

 

           



Deep in - to the earth’s grooves.



  

 

73

SA L





U

                                  

77





love

      

 





                                     

  

Down past the sod.

                               

R







PE



     



          



69



         

SC O



         



E





R

66

27

              

        



Part - ing the soil.

                            

 



     

         

To tun - nel un - der the dirt of this land

 

       



 

                  

Damien Geter | Coon

28





 

 



SC O

R



home.

               

  

                                                                                            

SA L

88



We are

the peo - ple of the sun.

 

U



                            

 

 



 





We

go

home

92



        



R



         



to car - ry us

                  a tempo  84   

PE





                      





 

          rit.

E

    

80

      

            

     

   

 

  

    

   



          too.

  

     

IV. Homegoing for the People of the Sun 95

 

   

98











                     102                and pomp.

 

R



    

  

 

PE

 

us

to

                   





   

in

our

  

      

 





 



 



  

  



                       



  there are

  

  

   



  

home - go - ing

Grand - eur and ma - jes - ty.

  

106

  

And

Send - ing



Lento  = 60

E



    

R



SC O



cha - ri - ots



                                         



  



SA L



   



U



 

29

             





glo - ry.

    

  

  

    



 

 

   

30

V. Coon in the Arms of the Mountains Text by

Nikki Giovanni

4

  



         

 

         

A gen - tle

 

  







like a lov - ing

 

  



comb - ing







her

    



gi





her grand - mo - ther’s hair.

SA L

  

 

U

 

Car - ried

     



  

to the be - ginn - ing.

R

                                                                         9               

PE



wind

                                       

6



   

 

                like a lowly shimmer                 

grand - daugh - ter





E

Piano



R

 

MEZZOSOPRANO

        

SC O

In a groove  = 65



  

                       

We

 

think it’s

ice.

We think it’s

                           

V. Coon in the Arms of the Mountains 12

        



      ice.

   



  

On the top



 

of

the

  

18



 

 



22

 

wind





      

U

Con moto  = 80

  

  



 

  

    

Built on the bones

                              

R

PE

       

   

moun - tains.



those who came be - fore.



     

                      

     

 

E

15

                                     

R

            



cot - ton.

SC O



     

it’s

SA L



    

But real - ly

31

   

   

  

 a tempo          A gen - tle                          

of

       

rit.



 

    

       

blew white hair off grand - mo - thers.

                                             

   

                       

 

Damien Geter | Coon

32

         

      

26

A gen - tle wind



and up…

            



32





        



                    



 

U

               

             

    

            

36

     

Se - ling

  





          

 

in the arms,

   

         



the arms,

   



 



SA L



PE



and up

grand - mo - thers

          

   



   

 

 







E

  



off

 

R

29



 

SC O

     

up



white hair

                  

R



blew

  

 

   



                  

Melancholic  = 60





  

  

   

  

 





  







     

the arms of grand - fa - thers

          

  

  

  

who were

 

 

 

 

   

V. Coon in the Arms of the Mountains



       



lynched.

 



  

    







Or

shot.

 

 

   

 

 

 

50

     





But

al - ways





re - flect

    

    

 

 

look - ing.





in their

 

eyes



  

    

rit.

at grand-

 

   

        the



Al - ways

Al - ways look - ing

               

   

                                           to

  



U

    

 

 

 

 

               



                                   look - ing.

     

a tempo

tenderly

  

   

     

- mo - thers



rit.

SA L

47

   

     

R



             

PE



     

           

pesante       

43

whipped.

SC O



    

Or

 



E



R

    

40

33



   

 

        

love.

                             

Damien Geter | Coon

34

As in the beginning, but slightly slower  = 55 54

 

        



A

E









SC O

  

hair



to

 the

                                          

59

wait

 -

 -



-

-

          

ing

U

rit.

            



                           

R

PE

62



arms.

            

To the wait - ing



car - ry - ing the

R

57

 



wind

   

                                               shimmer                 

white







SA L



gen - tle



 = 50

  

arms.

 

    



 

 

 

   

        

 

 

 

rit.

  

 

 

V. Coon in the Arms of the Mountains

 



 

We

call it

gla - cial.

  

  



We should call





it…

 

rit.

       



                   



 

 

cot - ton, oh

       



a tempo

    





73

ice.

Cot - ton

SA L



cot - ton.

  





 

Cot - ton.

Cot - ton.

R

                                                             

PE





            

   



call it



      

U



    

   

 

 

We

70

 





  

SC O







E

 = 60

R

66

35

   

76







Cot - ton.

                            

   Cot - ton

rest - ing in the

  

   

(optional  )

rit.

  

     



  

arms.

  



    

36

VI. When the Ancestors Speak Text by

   

Piano



              

SA L

come.

                         



   

they

ho - ver like

 





    ey

U

                 

R   

7

call…



      ey

rit.

          

 



PE



  



 

a tempo

fog.



When the an - ces - tors speak,

            

  

4



SC O

BARITONE

  



   

E

Mysterious  = 70

R

Glenis Redmond

          





  

When haints

  



   haunt,

 they

                           

    

    il - lu - min - ate



  how

                      

VI. When the Ancestors Speak

   

10

cot - ton



co - vers,

  



   to e - v’ry -

    

              





SC O

R

E



 



- thing.

   

Lint

 



on the bo - dy.

Hair.

                                                          

PE

R

U

 

 

amd clings







 



co - lors,

                     

 



  

  

12





SA L







37

   

14





    



His

-

  tor - y.



 







 

  

they

show us

When the an - ces - tors speak

          

 

     

 

                                                       

Damien Geter | Coon

38

who choke

    



and broke.

    

                   

     

     

21





 

     





  

 

   



  

 





       

24

    

 

  

               

 

     



     

ey

  



How





tall

the

   

tell of

 

   

    



cot - ton:



 

plant grows

  

 

how wide the

   

 

how deep

 

the

  

                

        

                      

    

 

Grave  = 60

SA L



                             

 



 



R

18

hold.



 

U



those



R





PE





E

 

SC O

16

 

 

  

 

ey

sing of

 

    

 field.

  

 

 



 

 

   

VI. When the Ancestors Speak

how

 

    

30

  

      

33



                                 

37



crop.



  

 

                   



   



Bid us to

  

       

   





 

When the an - ces - tors





                          

    

 

 

SC O

 



   



     





spilled blood and kin - ships se - vered.

       

SA L





  

      

up fam’ - ly trees:

 

U



          

creeps

        

R



        

 

  



cot - ton

PE





E

        

a tempo

R

  

rit.

27

39



 



speak,



    

    

 

        

       

they come out

 

 

   

               

 





  

of the

 

                                            

see

white blooms,

white hands,

Damien Geter | Coon

       

40



 



white

greed

     

    

     

      

     



 



snatch - ing up breath



  



         

R

accel.                  and bo - dies.                                                                                          

 = 70

46

  

 

 

ey

SA L

SC O

43



come

   



plain

day

as



 with

                                                                              48                     dreams, wind sweep, orange but - ter - flies cir  signs:                                                      

U



       



R



           

and

PE



  

E

40

VI. When the Ancestors Speak 50



Say,

see

us ful - ly



 







our

worn down

  



hands



   

 our



worn





down bro - gans

 

    



E





R

 



  

 

or



 



 

   

54

   

our

SA L

                                                

 



cal - loused bare

feet.



   

U



52

  

                                                             





       





   







 

 

                                

                      whistle or hum in falseo (adjust octave as needed)  = 60  57                   

R



- cling.

 





PE



  



 

SC O

 

41

           

     

                

 



     

Damien Geter | Coon

42

     

61



E

     

   

  

   rit.

68



  

(sung)





       

 

  

   

 

   

Largo  = 50

 





An - ces - tors in

the

air.



71

  









     

 

lay

            

   





bare

songs

      

       

       

    



    



SC O



SA L

 

R

65

U



   

R



   

PE



                                                                       



          

       

 



and sto - ries.

    

    

        

       

    

VI. When the Ancestors Speak





   

Fill

em - ty pa - ges

 



           

             





                

76



 



field

of us.



  



     

     

 

spill - ing be - tween

            



 

       

     

 

 

 

 



SA L

PE

    

79

with a

of bril - liant Black verse

          



    



R



             

cal - li - gra - phy:

U

A



E







R

 

SC O

73

43

rit.



 



 



white rows.



             

          

         

          

  



44

VII. When the Angels Come





Up



the

quar - ters

as

           

 



  



full

    

the child - ren

         

             

are

too weak to climb. e bab - ies next to us whimp - er - ing.

  



 

as the

 

    



  

  

  

 





gi - ant

ships.

  

           

 

   





With

  

 

  

       

     

 



sleep



U





 

R 

    

9

   

 

raf - ters,

             

                                             

PE



 

SA L

where we old folk

in

 

  

                  

          

5

    

E

     

BARITONE

Piano

Melancholic, on the verge of a lullaby  = 46

R

Afaa M. Weaver

SC O

Text by

 

Our

       



 

 

chains



    







   

 



VII. When the Angels Come

sail - ing



in

   

                 



 

 

          a tempo

16





some crisp thing.

       

         

  

    

      

 



                

        

we hear

 

like lips

       

  a

rit.



   

path

on the seas.

          

ghosts

  

 

 

       

   

         

     

 

                     

   

 

        

     

                     

shake the sacks some

   







                                  

sing.

ma - king a

mouth

 

   wet



and

  

 

 

   

speak our lost tongues,

Tears, a sound like we hear cot - ton make. We

R

24

Moon - light,

SA L

   

  

 



     



dark - ness,



  



U

20

    

  

                         

itch



the

PE





our night - mares.

Sleep - ing in



 

( = )

E





R

  

SC O

     

12

45

e - nough to

       

  

 



 

Damien Geter | Coon

Eerily

    

 



     

 



Low sha - dows in the voice.

here



with

us

the

                    

41



                   



   

 

child - ren

 

  

of the wood

        



 

   

    

              

48

cresc.

  

   

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 



    

       

    

 

 



  

 

  



scream.

 

On the planks

 

  

         







and the strong ones draw back.

   

    



 

 



 

          

          



   

 

                

El - der Ma - lik lis up and speaks,



 





 

R





PE







SA L

    

34



Now

   

U



               



   

E

rit.

SC O

         

28

R

46

  

     

 

  

“Don’t be

  

  

  

     



a - fraid.”



   

 

   



 

   

  

Sweeping  = 100

  

       







 

59

call

 

      61  

 

we

   

-



-

  

   

 



 



- we -

 

 

to

   



  

our love.

     



 

si

   

  



fa - ces,

 

- si,

    

  

 

   take



    



    







 

   

  

 breath

a - way

 

we

 

Spir - it,

 

 

  

    

   



   

 

Great

  

   

 

     

    

E

 

 

U



their

    

   

 

in



her.

   

fa - ces

A -

PE





    

 

            

rit.        

R

57

 

  

our

                  



         

we see

  

SA L



As

R



  



 



    

      

47

SC O

52

VII. When the Angels Come

  



A

  

from the

   



 

Damien Geter | Coon

48

 





o - ver - see - ers…



     65

  

     

   

Slower  = 90

 

   



                      

     



   sub.    

        

   





     

 



 

U

R

PE

      

73

        

   

      

   

for our dead

in the

         

  

     

 



 

co - ton.

       



set the cot - ton to rot



 

 

               

      sub.          

thun - der - storms.

 



                                   



  

 

 

lock the doors…

          

                               

  

 



               

69

and weep





   

ri - ding white hors - es through the high

A - we - si who will



    

SA L



    

 

E



R



rit.

  





Moon - light,               



SC O

63

    a

VII. When the Angels Come



 

path on the seas.

   

     

   

  

79

door,

    

81

R

 





to

her heart,



   

83

up



 

     



  

la - ter

comes

   a

   



    

 

  

 

lis

   

     



   

 

 



   

     



hand - ful

of

earth

   

   



   



tos - ses it

up

 

   

    



 

a - no - ther A - we - si.

 

   

the

    



out,

 

   





  



 

  

nights

U

  







   

   

 

    

PE



the air,



Holds



in

   

   





rough the open - ing

SA L



  

 

     

three

   











 

SC O



   





E

      

R

( = 90)

76

49

 

   



    



 

   

so that

   

       

 

  



 

 

     

With dignity  = 60

each grain spark - les.

 

      

 = 46

     

      

             

 



bolls will bear blood



won’t

 

PE

93

 

 

  





  

                    

  

    









in the un - bound lies.



 



cot - ton won’t

      

   

       



     

     

  

 

hold us,

SA L

                  



        

Cot - ton

R



  

    



      

And a man, Great Spir - it A - be - i - ku e - merg - es.

U

89

 





    

   

 

     

E

  



R

86

Damien Geter | Coon

SC O

50



    

  



       

     

  

   

rise.

e

 

An - ces - tors ri - ding in

  

     

 

        

VII. When the Angels Come



e moon

                        Slower  = 40

         



        



100

 

  

 



 





 

ap - peal

for



jus - tice.

          

U



on the seas.

            

a tempo

 



   

 

        



 

a tempo

         Moon - light,



   



 







         







 



   









  

SA L

our eyes,



R rit.

       

104



      

              

PE



rit.

all



his - tor - y’s pal - ee.

                  

 

While our eyes,

writ - ing in blood

     

R

sun - rise.

   

  

E

 

SC O



      

97

51



 



52

VIII. e Struggle Goes On: A Mural Speaks Text by

Charlotte Blake Alston

With quiet determination  = 65

 

 

crest



 

  

  

of

     

  

a swel - ling tide



 

13

 

          



           

E    

     sub.   

    

 

  

 sub.  

North.

and hope in

    

look - ing back.

    

Grounded  = 80

     

dig - ni - ty

        no

rit.

PE





U

  

     

 

      

   

 

Back un - bent,

     10

 



R







tact.



With

 





R

6



        



SA L

Piano



SC O

 

MEZZOSOPRANO

  

   





She rode

the



   



a tempo

      

Where a

 

     

dream just might be re - a - lized.

       

 

 



 

                          

   





 

      

VIII. e Struggle Goes On: A Mural Speaks

     

                       

      

19

paid each new price.

         

  

strength.





R

 







She

tran - scend - ed new

   

              



    

 

Yet

 

 

re - gal,

   

      

re - sis - tant,





PE

R

U

                                                        

      

22



re - fused





  

  

     



bar - ri - ers,



  

Worked and sa - cri - ficed.

 

She har - nessed her

SC O



                                                  17                

SA L



    



  

   

E

   

15

53



to yield

    un - der nor

 

                           

 -

thern





    

ver - sions of a

                          

   

cot - ton field.

     

  

With

         

Damien Geter | Coon

      

25



grit

  

    

a tempo

        



     

    

30







claimed her place.

een.



R 

   



No!



      







  



  

Tran - scen - ded



        

    



loved, la - bored,

    

        

             



    

En - dured.

Cool and Light  = 72



   

           

Lived,

     

     

34

e

                              

U

                  

grace.



  

PE



   

of an A - fri - can

Su - preme.

   

 



E

rit.

grand - eur



                

        27

a self - love



SC O



for - ti - tude

 

SA L



    

   

    

R

54

with

       



 

         

  

   



                





VIII. e Struggle Goes On: A Mural Speaks

40







li up your head.

Pick your

 

 

                      

     

  

    

     

stride.

And

walk

                                            42





E

                      

  



 



like you

 

got

  some

               



   

   





 

pride.

You will not bend.                                                                     -

ces - tor

PE

R

U

an









R

   



So,

  





SA L



  

 

SC O

    

37

55

         



rit.

               You will not yield.

You’ll wa - ter the seeds in free - dom’s field of                                                                                       

44



Damien Geter | Coon

 

        



up

 

with



       

the

dawn.

U 

R



59



 

 





PE











            

55



 

  



        

    





With conviction  = 55



            

 

  rit.



  

Un - til

true

 

  sub.  

    



    

  

jus

 

  

  

   

  

-

tice for all



 

rit.

  

 

 

     



  

fight

 



 

 

 

             



 

And the strength to

 





ris - es



and truth.



51

on.



dig - ni - ty





SA L



      

 

R

hope,

   



SC O

 = 65    

47

E

56

 

 

 

         

   

R

PE U SA L R

SC O

E

R

PE U SA L R

SC O

E

R

PE U SA L R

SC O

E

E R SC O SA L U R PE

Geter: Cotton Vocal Score JAT 112-006-FS

www.justatheorypress.com

9 790094 001922