This meditation on the earth is based on a Native American Ute prayer Earth Teach Me.
The text was perhaps first translated into English by Sioux Chief John Yellow Lark in the late 19th century.
The prayer fills me with joy and hope and this setting sparkles with beauty, warmth, and heart.
For SATB and chamber orchestra (1st and 2nd Violin, Viola, Cello, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon), this original and melodious setting is perfect for high school, university, or community choir.
Premiere by Allan Andrews and the Orchard Park Chorale
Orchard Park and Buffalo, New York, March 28 and 30, 2025
Text from Earth Teach Me as translated by Chief John Yellow Lark
Earth teach me stillness
as the grasses are stilled with light.
Earth teach me suffering
as old stones suffer with memory.
Earth teach me humility
as blossoms are humble with
beginning.
Earth teach me caring
as the mother who secures her
young.
Earth teach me courage
as the tree which stands alone.
Earth teach me limitation
as the ant which crawls on the
ground.
Earth teach me freedom
as the eagle which soars in
the sky.
Earth teach me resignation
as the leaves which die in
the fall.
Earth teach me regeneration
as the seed which rises in the
spring.
Earth teach me to forget myself
as melted snow forgets its life.
Earth teach me to remember
kindness as dry fields weep
in the rain.