Trust the Seeds

A meditation on the faith of seed-planting

Commissioned by CitySingers of Hartford / Suzanne Gates [Orchestral version]

Poet/Lyricist:

Elizabeth Alexander

A meditation on the faith demonstrated by planting seeds, whether they be the “garden variety” or the seeds of life.

Appropriate for worship or concert settings in any season of the year.

Trust the Seeds

Lyrics by Elizabeth Alexander

Trust the seeds, although they lie in darkness,
Stirring beyond your watchful eye.
Though they may not flower as you dreamed they would,
When the planting's over you must trust the seeds.

Some soon bloom to fill your heart with wonder,
Some only after you are gone,
You must give them freedom to grow as they should.
Give them room to spread their roots, and trust the seeds.

In your heart, you know that some may wither,
All you can do is hope and pray.
Some will rise up grander than you dreamed they could.
There is joy in planting if you trust the seeds.

Reviews and Responses:

"The poetry is exquisite. And the changing meter matches the natural flow of the text so beautifully." - Jodi Rinehimer, Director of Music, MasterSingers of the Berks Classical Children's Chorus (Reading, PA)

"My choir LOVES your setting of Trust the Seeds — which we used in our kick-off for the pledge campaign this year!" - Fred Jodry, Music Director, First Unitarian Church of Providence (Providence, RI)

Performers:

SATB:
Unitarian Church Choir of Lincoln / Sheila Brown (Lincoln, NE) * Premiere
ACDA Voices United 2002 Festival Chorus / Paul Rardin (Washington, DC)
Choir of Brookfield Unitarian Universalist Church / Lila Farrar (Brookline, MA)
Choir of Davies Memorial Unitarian Universalist Church / Dixon Redditt (Camp Spring, MD)
Choir of First Parish in Concord / Beth Norton (Concord, MA)
Choir of First Unitarian Church of San Jose (San Jose, CA)
Choir of Foothills Unitarian Church / David King (Ft. Collins, CO)
Choir of May Memorial Church / Glenn Kime (Syracuse, NY)
Choir of Brookfield Unitarian Universalist Church / Lila Farrar (Brookfield, MA)
Choir of Unitarian Church of Charleston / Martha Welch (Charleston, SC)
Choir of Unitarian Universalist Church of Rockford / Tim Anderson (Rockford, IL)
Choir of Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Milford / Carolyn McCreary (Milford, MA)
Choir of Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Saratoga Springs / Michael Harrison (Saratoga Springs, NY)
Choir of Unitarian-Universalist Church of Bloomington / Diane Woodruff (Bloomington, IL)
Choir of Unitarian-Universalist Church of Rockford / Kay Hotchkiss (Rockford, IL)
Choir of White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church / Thaxter Cunio (Mahtomedi, MN)
Choir of All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church / Barbara Weeks (Greenfield, MA)
Choir of Open Circle Unitarian Universalist / Sarah Watts (Boulder, CO)
Choir of Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville / Ruth Lewis (Gainsville, FL)
Choir of Kingston Unitarian Fellowship / Phyllis Robbins (Kingston, Ontario, CANADA)
Choir of Eliot Unitarian Chapel / Leon Burke III (Kirkwood, MO)
Choir of Camrose United Church / Darryl Dewalt (Calgary, Alberta, CANADA)
Eastern Mennonite High School Choir / Jay Hartzler (Roanoke, VA)
Horlick High School Chorale / Ellen Christensen (Racine, WI)
Lackawana Trail High School Choir / Jodi Rinehimer (Factoryville, PA)
Lesbian and Gay Chorus of Washington D.C. / C Paul Heins (College Park, MD)
Mastersingers of Berks Classical Children's Chorus / Jodi Rinehimer (Orefield & Reading, PA)
Sage Chapel Choir / Richard Riley ~ Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)
Sherwood High School Chamber Singers / Bill Evans (Rockville & Sandy Spring, MD)
Towson University Chorale / Paul Rardin ~ Mansfield University (Mansfield, PA)
Unitarian Universalist Florida District Festival Choir / Ann Hossler (Vero Beach, FL)
Unitarian-Universalist Society of Martha's Vineyard / Dawn Aberg (Vineyard Haven, MA)
Waldon Hill Vocal Ensemble / Joe Mish ~ First Unitairan Universalist Church (Rochester, MN)
William Horlick High School Chorale / Ellen Christensen (Racine, WI)
ZONTA International Benefit Choir / Wolfgang Ziegler (Vienna, AUSTRIA)

SATB, flute, oboe, piano:
Sherwood High School Chamber Singers / Bill Evans (Sandy Spring, MD) * Premiere
Choir of Towson Unitarian Universalist Church / Joseph Gascho (Lutherville, MD)
Choir of Unitarian Universalist Church of Rockford / Tim Anderson (Rockford, IL)
Lesbian and Gay Chorus of Washington D.C. / C Paul Heins (Arlington, VA)
Maryland Choral Society / Jason Gottshall (Fort Washington, MD)

SATB, orchestra:
CitySingers of Hartford / Suzanne Gates (West Hartford, CT) * Premiere