There Will Come Soft Rains

“There Will Come Soft Rains” is set to a poem by Sara Teasdale of the same name. Teasdale led a harsh life, struggling with mental health issues her entire life. She took her own life in 1933. However, she held steadfast to her values of anti-war and love until the very end. The poem starts out by describing a beautiful spring scene, contrasting with the rest of the poem, which reminds us that the seasons will continue to change even after we as the human race destroy ourselves. While the poem was initially written in the context of World War I, this poem is especially poignant now, as we try to repair the damage we have caused to our environment. When we have made the planet inhabitable for ourselves, nature will certainly move on.

The music at the beginning is meant to mimic the spring landscapes that Teasdale describes. The piano mimics twinkling stars while frogs sing, and left-hand crossings bring in performance art. The piece transitions into minor, describing mankind’s end. I opted to add a recapitulation of the first stanza, symbolizing spring and her blissful unawareness of our demise.