On an Echoing Road

On an echoing road, trotting in unison,

now out of step, now as one again,

are two horses saddled together,

guided by a single hand.

The needle and the pen, the habit of work

and the sly urge to quit the habit, make friends with each other,

then separate, then reconcile again…

O my slow steeds, pull now together;

from here I can see the end of the road.

Based on a text in French (Français) by (Sidonie-Gabrielle) Colette (1873 - 1954), appears in L'etoile vesper, last paragraph

from: https://www.lieder.net/lieder/get_text.html?TextId=23451

In July 2013, Rett and I purchased our “slice of paradise” on three acres on Junk Road. Junk Road is a county road approximately four miles long. The road is positioned directly East/West, and is straight except for one significant turn South followed shortly by another significant turn West again. Traffic on Junk Road is minimal, but one can easily hear a vehicle as it approaches and as it departs.

Rett and I each have a primary hobby- she knits, I write a blog. Some could say that we are a team of workhorses.

Continuing the metaphor, I ponder, “Who is our single hand?” Does Destiny see the end of [our] road?

CPW

P.S. I suggest listening to a vocal duet with piano by Ned Rorem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhkML8XBbNs