A green aurora, viewed from approximately 400 kilometres above Earth, glows in the sky. A bit of red can be seen along the horizon.

Text by Tawahum Bige

Juniper Sky

for voice (E♭4–G5) and piano

Juniper Sky

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Imagine the time and distance of lightyears:

How long I waited, travelled
to align an astrology between Leo & Aries

and I found a flux—synchronous with her:

a star from Dene nebula

floating and forming

her own constellations

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like I once charted my own.
Our contact blew an explosion of juniper sky— marvelled at the marble etched into your crown— this swirling moment—
returned to our galactic quadrants.

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Through our own constellation:
the conjunct became square, sextile,
this shape of lines weaving silver gossamer

out across parsecs of empty space—

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how could I lock an eternity
around only one body in night skies

when I want this Milky Way to thrive.

Faint rays and flares, from you to me:

Astral projected aurora

 

Text for "Juniper Sky" © 2020 Tawahum Bige. Not for distribution without poet’s permission

"Juniper Sky" is a musical and poetic exploration of queerness, polyamoury and the multiplicity of love—connecting us, like constellations that link to themselves and other combinations of stars. A feeling of warmth and unbridled love interweaves the music, and the entire work should feel amorous, with love tied to every word and musical motion. 

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"Juniper Sky" was composed alongside poet & spoken word artist Tawahum Bige for the 2020 Art Song Lab, and was premiered virtually by Robyn Driedger-Klassen and Karen Lee-Morlang on July 31, 2020