SF Civic Chamber Music, June 14 2025: Kyle Hovatter (1986- ) - Four Vachel Lindsay Poems

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**Four Vachel Lindsay Poems*
Kyle Hovatter (1986- )
00:00 I. Unjust
02:07 II. A Sense of Humor
04:50 III. The Little Turtle
07:10 IV. Rain

Jane Spencer Mills, Soprano
Diana Gomez, Flute
Nicole Faghihi, Piano

*FOUR VACHEL LINDSAY POEMS*
Vachel Lindsay (1879-1931) was briefly famous in the 1910s as a traveling singing poet who would chant or sing his own poetry while wandering through the United States. Yet later in life he faded into obscurity, often bartering his pamphlet “Rhymes to Be Traded for Bread” in exchange for food. Lindsay eventually commit suicide by ingesting Lysol. This setting of four poems was commissioned by Carrie Zhang and her Classical Trio Impromptu for their performances in the Bing Music Series at Stanford Hospital.
--Kyle Hovatter

*Unjust*
I, that am un-just can still strive for justice
My life is unkind, but I vote for kindness,
I the unloving, say life should be lovely.
I that am blind, cry out against my blindness.

*A Sense of Humor*
No man should stand before the moon to make sweet song there-on,
With dandified importance,
His sense of humor gone.
Nay, let us don the motley cap,
The jester’s chastened mien,
If we would woo that looking glass and see what should be seen.

O mirror on fair heaven’s wall,
We find there what we bring.
So, let us smile in honest part and deck our souls and sing.
Yea, by the chastened jest alone will ghosts and terrors pass,
And Fays, or such-like friendly things,
Throw kisses through the glass,
Throw kisses through the glass.


*The Little Turtle*
There was a little turtle. He lived in a box.
He swam in a puddle. He climbed on the rocks.

He snapped at a mosquito. He snapped at a flea.
He snapped at a minnow. And he snapped at me.

He caught the mosquito. He caught the flea.
He caught the minnow.
But he did not catch me.

*Rain*
Each storm soaked flower has a beautiful eye
And this is the voice of the stone cold sky
“Only boys keep their cheeks dry, only boys."
“Only boys are afraid to cry—only boys.”
Men thank God for tears alone.
Alone with lost years


ABOUT THE MUSICIANS
This song cycle performance came together as a result of Jane and Nicole’s ongoing collaboration as vocalist and accompanist, preparing house recitals around the SF Bay Area. *Jane* is a retired member of the SF Symphony Chorus. *Nicole* is a pianist, accompanist and private teacher. Nicole and *Diana* met through their participation in the Golden Gate Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Nicole brought the three of us together, because Kyle's piece needed a flute player. Kyle is the music director of Zion Lutheran Church in SF, with whom Jane has collaborated in the past. The time spent working together on this piece has been enjoyable, and we have plans to do more.