The Tide Turning
Written during the heat of the coronavirus pandemic, The Tide Turning tells of a bay whose water has gone out, leaving its inhabitants stranded, burning, and helpless under a scorching sun. Life can do little but hang on (“six slow hours”), and dream of the long-awaited, unforeseeable, but inevitable turn of the tide.
The third stanza of the poem is repeated twice: once at the beginning and once at the end of the piece. The cold water and dark night are initially full of anxiety, claustrophobia, and fear, but when they return it is with a rush of healing, cleansing, refreshing coolness.
The text choice and setting were inspired by the creative reflections of Canadian conductors on the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of the Sonic Timelapse Project.
Full learning track playlist, including click track for recording