This is a piece, written in October 2002, adapted from a 1987 poem "Angel", which had appeared in my poetry book Sky Falling Sunny Tomorrow (Wolsak & Wynn, Toronto, 1989).
ANGEL When Angel was very young she said to herself every year so far I've grown bigger I imagine I'll grow forever She did notice the grown-ups she knew had all stopped but how many did she know, after all? larger ones probably existed somewhere Not around here, of course, where people just smiled at her question no longer seemed curious (grown-ups lose interest in things so quickly) But a world of growers forever! now that would be happiness and she promised herself she'd find them someday Which at age fourteen she did Come away, Angel, their playful claws waved, come if you want to keep growing I do, she said, so she left Now every night, I look up imagine her covering half the sky Angel, daughter, briefest guest, I call but how can she hear such a small voice?
Theme 1 [m.1-4] How can she hear such a small voice? Theme 1 Extension [m.5-17] Briefest guest! When she was young, Angel always said to me: Each year I've grown larger, I'd like to grow larger forever, Forevermore I'll be growing. Theme 2 [m.18-21] Come away, their playful claws waved Theme 2 [m.22-25] Come away if you would grow, Theme 2 bits [m.26-31] Come away and you will grow forever, Oh come away, you'll learn to grow forever, Come away forever, Come away forever, Theme 2a [m.32-39] Come away and you will grow, Grow forever with our help, Oh come away and you will - Oh come away and you will Grow forever, Grow forever Grow forever, Grow forever, Angel will grow and grow, Grow without a stop forever! Theme 2b [m.40-47] Same as or similar to 2a. Theme 2c [m.48-55] Same as or similar to 2a. Theme 2 Coda [m.56-57] Grow without a stop forever! Grow without a stopping! Theme 1 [58-61] Now each night I look up to the sky. Theme 1 Extension [m.62-74] Briefest guest! Growth forever, that's what she was searching for. Cancer smiles down waving, I call up waving. She fills the sky, but Theme 1 in Minor [m.75-78] How can she hear such a small voice? Theme 1 in Minor [m.79-82] Angel, daughter, she smiles at my small voice.