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Flowers, Fish, and Prophecy
1980
high voice
oboe
harpischord
percussion
3 chinese gongs, cowbell, flexatone, marimba, snare drum, 2 woodblocks
duration 8'
TEXTS
Flowers
For the warp and woof of flowers are worked by perpetual moving spirits.
For flowers are good both for the living and the dead.
For there is a language of flowers.
For there is a sound reasoning upon all flow'rs.
For elegant phrases are nothing but flowers.
For flowers are peculiarly the poetry of Christ.
For flowers are medicinal.
For flowers are musical in ocular harmony.
For the right names of flowers are yet in heaven.
God make gard'ners better nomenclators.
Fish
Let Peter rejoice with the moonfish who keeps up the life in the waters by night.
Let Andrew rejoice with the whale who is arrayed in beauteous blue and is a combination of bulk
and activity.
Let James rejoice with the skuttlefish who foils his foe by the effusion of his ink.
Let John rejoice with Nautilus who sets hius sail and plies his oar and the Lord is his pilot.
Let Philip rejoive with Boca which is the fish that can speak.
Let Bartholomew rejoice with the eel who is pure in proportion to where he is found and how he
is used.
Let Thomas rejoice with the swordfish whose aim is perpetual and strength insuperable.
Let Matthew rejoice with the uranoscopus whose eyes are lifted up to God.
Let James the less rejoice with the haddock who brought the piece of money for the Lord
and Peter.
Let Jude bless with the bream, who is of melancholy from his depth and serenity.
Prophecy
For I prophesy that men will learn the use of their knees.
For everything that can be done in that posture (upon the knees) is better done so
than otherwise.
For I prophesy that they will understand the blessing and virtue of the rain.
For rain is exceedingly good for the human body.
For it is good therefore to have flat roofs to the houses as of old.
For it is good to let the rain come upon the naked body unto purity and refreshment.
Christopher Smart (1722–1771)