Us

"Us" is the fifth and final song of David Conte's song cycle Sexton Songs. The cycle is for soprano and piano or chamber ensemble and sets the poetry of Anne Sexton.

The audio selection features Marnie Breckenridge, soprano, and Ensemble Parallele with Nicole Paiement, conductor. Used with the permission of the composer.

Date: 2004Composer: David ConteText: Anne SextonSong Collection: Sexton Songs

Print vitals & song text

Text

Us
by Anne Sexton

I was wrapped in black
fur and white fur and
you undid me and then
you placed me in gold light
and then you crowned me,
while snow fell outside
the door in diagonal darts.
While a ten-inch snow
came down like stars
in small calcium fragments,t
we were in our own bodies
(that room that will bury us)
and you were in my bodyt
(that room that will outlive us)
and at first I rubbed your
feet dry with a towel
because I was your slave
and then you called me princess.
Princess!

Oh then
I stood up in my gold skin
and I beat down the psalms
and I beat down the clothes
and you undid the bridle
and you undid the reins
and I undid the buttons,
the bones, the confusions,
the New England postcards,
the January ten o’clock night,
and we rose up like wheat,
acre after acre of gold,
and we harvested,
we harvested.

Audio

Track:

    Sheet Music

    Sexton Songs (all versions)

    Composer(s): David Conte

    Song(s): 1. Rowing
    2. Her Kind
    3. Ringing the Bells
    4. Riding the Elevator into the Sky
    5. Us

    Buy via Sheet Music Plus

    Support us and help us grow

    Dear friends, Thank you for helping us build a comprehensive online archive of American song. Your gift is greatly appreciated.