See More, for SATB chorus, was written to commemorate a happy event: the Cleveland Chamber Choir’s return to performing live concerts after the pandemic-induced “long night” of 2020–21. Knowing that the theme of the concert would revolve around “giving thanks,” I went in search of a poem that could express some combination of gratitude, celebration, catharsis, and hope. Jean E. Taddonio’s “See More” struck me, though, for its focus on the possibility of finding light, even in darkness, by opening our eyes to new possibilities. It is a poignant reminder that the world—even the world of today—is full of small wonders for which we should be ever thankful.
See More was commissioned by the Cleveland Chamber Choir and its Artistic Director Scott MacPherson, who premiered the work in 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Recording: The Cleveland Chamber Choir; Scott MacPherson, conductor (Hudson, Ohio, 2021)
See More
In the broken place
where we live,
hope can be found
in the cracks
If a dandelion
can push herself
up from the earth
through a sliver of light
in cement
and be called a weed
—or a flower
by those who see more
surely, we too can bloom
in our brokenness
where we live
and see more
Jean E. Taddonio
The poem “See More” is used by permission of its author and copyright holder, Jean E. Taddonio.