This composition consists of three movements that are influenced by poetic forms.
I. Shadorma - A shadorma has 6 line stanzas where the lines have a
syllable count of 3,5,3,3,7,5 respectively. The syllable count was
translated into meter therefore creating 3/8, 5/8, two measures of 3/8,
7/8, and 5/8 resulting in 6 measure phrases.
II. Cinquain - A cinquain is an American Poem invented by Adelaide
Crapsey. It is five lines long and uses a syllable count of 2,4,6,8,2 to
determine the line breaks. Three possible variants are mirror
2,4,6,8,2,4,6,8,2; butterfly 2,3,6,8,2,2,4,6,8,2; and reversal
2,8,6,4,2. Mirror and reversal are used in this movement therefore
creating a pattern of 2,4,6,8,2,8,6,4,2. The syllable count is reflected
in the number of notes in each phrase.
III. Bantu - The bantu originated from Swahili speakers therefore
incorporating the idea of call and response. The stanzas are couplets
where the first line is more metaphorical and the second line more
concrete. Call and response between each instrument permeates this
movement with alternations of which instrument is the leading voice.