Energy AfterlivesMain MenuIntroductionAboutCoalOilNuclearTextual AfterlivesMusical AfterlivesPlanned and unplanned musical responses to coal, oil, nuclearPhysicalizations and VisualizationsLinks to all our project pagesInterviewsA collection of interviews with writers conducted by Energy Afterlives students.Feedback
Musical Afterlives: Singing our gift song to Ernestine Hayes
1media/Musical_Afterlives_singing_to_Ernestine_Hayes_thumb.jpg2024-08-05T18:36:56+00:00Selby Hearthb376ef4984698cd7e5faf6c8e8b2692e30809d8111Musical Afterlives: Singing our gift song to Ernestine Hayesplain2024-08-05T18:36:56+00:0058.385538888889,-134.6408194444420231018134357-0800Selby Hearthb376ef4984698cd7e5faf6c8e8b2692e30809d81
This page is referenced by:
1media/Musical_Afterlives_singing_to_Ernestine_Hayes.jpg2024-08-05T18:52:34+00:00Musical Afterlives: The Energy Afterlives 360° performs their gift of song9Musical Afterlives: The Energy Afterlives 360° performs their gift of songplain2024-08-08T16:09:34+00:00As we prepared to travel to Alaska for our 360° field experience, we wondered what gifts we could bring for our hosts that would feel "of" Bryn Mawr. One group of students decorated acorns from Senior Row; another group made linocut prints. One group wrote a song, which we all then performed for our hosts in Alaska.
Here are the lyrics:
"Musical Afterlives" Written by Miya Matsumune (BMC ‘26), Kira Elliott (BMC ‘24), and Aidan York (HC ‘24). Performed by the Energy Afterlives 360° students and faculty.
They gather here, united in place At 4:00 AM with fresh face The arches tower above their heads Excited to follow new red threads
But it didn’t begin here, not even close That started months ago with a toast A shared meal, shared interest brought them here To Alaska, to learning, to friendship so dear
There’s senior row of trees down yonder And moon benches for folks to ponder The willows sway with blossoms pink The Geo lounge with crisp water to drink They bring all the places they were before, Creating new afterlives to explore
In an era of “hypocrisy, weakness, and lameness” They try to make sense of their difference and sameness They learn about being together in place, How plates collide, oil lives in pore space
But it didn’t begin here, not even close It started with chemolithoautotrophs We traveled to coal mines, AMD sites afar Bringing our love all the way from Bryn Mawr
There’s constant construction, silencing birds Rest in a hammock when there are no words This place still struggles to confront its past And the students rise with purpose steadfast They bring all the places they were before, Creating new afterlives to explore
It’s 4:15 and it’s time to go, There’s rocks to taste and more to know We hope this gift of song rings true Thank you for hearing us, we can’t wait to listen To you!
