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Chahta-Ima Songs

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      These exerpts from my original recordings, before Katrina, when I first wrote the songs. These are presented here to see what the response would be. If I get some positive feedback I might re-record them and make them available for iPod or make the full versions available..
    All recordings are MP3s and will bring up your default media program.
     

My Dream "A roving child in solitude, alone with God alone..."
      Influenced by the Saints of old, for years Adrien believes he should  live alone in the wilderness. Unlike many romantic writers of the time, Adrien would have had little problem suviving, having spent much of his life living in the wilderness with the Chacta.




The Nook
 "The Nook, oh lovely spot of land, where I have built my cell..."
      Adrien's brother Felix, gave him a small home, within sight of his plantation.
Adrien turned it into his first cabin-chapel. He decorated it with a shrine to the Virgin Mary on one side and a small chapel on the other. The walls were lined with pictures of the Saints.
On either side of the chapel doors were two plants brought Adrien brought from a monestary in France. Adrien was very happy there and this poems shows this.




Sympathy
 "All men are doomed in bitterness, to walk life's dreary wilderness...."
        Starting on a depressing note, this poem rapidly picks up as Adrien explains the nature of  love and sympathy.




Offering
 "The fairest flowers, in the desert bloom, though none be there to cultivate..."
       Adrien likens his poetry to flowers, grown in the wild and offered up to the Virgin Mary.
Mary, Adrien notes is the protector of artists and poets. He prays to her to protect and guide him, in this startling poem.




Encouragement
 "Among so many daughters chaste, If there be one of God more blest..."
         In this poem Adrien tells of the trials and tribulations, as well as the joy and rewards of the elect, particularly the young woman who chooses to become a  nun. Adrien notes that,
for the earth thou were not made.




Percerverence
 "Though cursed by all for virtue’s sake, my radiant  sun..."
        Many at St Louis Cathederal were envious of Adrien, because he was allowed to recuperate for long periods in Lacombe, while the Church was so short handed by the plague.
        Adrien suffered immensely from his position as Bishop Blanc's personal secretary, a position that he never sought. All Adrien wanted from the Church was a life of solitude and contemplation. Instead the Church was proud of their first Creole-American priest and showed Adrien off at every opportunity, basically Adrien's worst nightmare. And to make it worse, others were jealous of him.
        Nevertheless he must still go on.




America
 "Beneath the brazen skies of climates remote..."
        This is from a prophetic poem Adrien wrote in 1848.
        Now nearly a century and a half later, it is easy to see Adrien's vision was accurate. He correctly prophesizes that America would rise in youth, to reign in Science, Art and Religion, all.
        In  moving verse, with chilling accuracy, Adrien records:
        "Of time's great vessel fraught, thou holds the helm.
         With thunderbolts to strike, our Eagle flies,
          In high exaults where none denies."
         And again with:
        "On electic wings thy name renound,
         Afar has flashed forever to resound."

         This version of America is only about half of the original poem.



The Making of Chahta-Ima's Songs
 
        The story behind these songs begins before Katrina, when I was reading translations of Adrien's poetry at the Palmettos. I mentioned that the Bards used to sing their poems and someone asked me to. Shyly, I declined, saying that I couldn't do that to the Creole language.
       Then one night I remembered that Adrien had written a book of English poetry in 1848, Wild Flowers. This was after he had been a priest for a while, but over a decade before he moved to the North Shore to become the Indian missionary, Chahta-Ima.
       Pouring over his poems, I chose for my first experiment, one of Adrien's best known poems, The Nook. Nervously I tried out a few chord progressions until magically a tune fit the poem. I played it once and it was perfect.