Written in 2020 during the Covid-19 lockdown, this piece was originally conceived as part of a series of “songs from the departed”. Death was an ever-present topic during the pandemic, as people all over the world feared for their safety and the safety of their loved ones. My hope was to bring comfort in a trying time. The music, instead of setting the meaning of the poem itself, is meant to convey a reaction to it. Initially hurt and mournful at the opening lines, the music becomes more hopeful as the poet reveals how aspects of our lost loved ones continue to be found all around us. The words “I am not there” mean something entirely different before and after this journey takes place.