Last Letter Home

Last week, barista sent Flannista the above video. I have watched it now at least a half dozen times and tear up every time.  You will, too.  Here is how barista describes the choral music featured in the video:

Often wars are far off abstractions and the longer they go on, the more distant they can become.  Choral music can help bring the conflicts closer . . . in a good way.

Prepare to have your heart broken as you listen to Cantus' recording of "Last Letter Home" -- a composition by Lee Hoiby based on a letter from PFC Jesse Givens of Springfield, Missouri, to his wife, Melissa.  Givens was killed May 1, 2003 when his tank fell into the Euphrates River after the bank on which he was parked gave way.  The letter was written to be delivered to his family if he died.  To his wife he writes: "I did not want to have to write this letter.  There is so much more I need to say, so much more I need to share.  A lifetime's worth.  I married you for a million lifetimes.  That's how long I will be with you.  Please find it in your heart to forgive me for leaving you alone . . . "

To his stepson, Dakota: "You have a big, beautiful heart.  I will always be there in our park when you dream so we can still play . . ."

To Carson, the son born May 29, 2003: "I never got to see you but I know in my heart you are beautiful."

Thank you, barista, for sharing this beautiful musical memorial with me and now with the sassosphere.  Hallowing -- through art and music -- the life of beloved who has died, can heal not only family members, but also the human family.

What's your response to this video?  In what ways have you hallowed the lives of beloveds you have lost?

Comments

[Flannista]

This is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I have ever heard. In an age of instant coffee and instant messaging, it isn't easy to sit and listen for 6.5 minutes. But this is worth it.

Sit and listen.

[Flannista]

I have commissioned art to honor the loves of beloveds, such as the neon sculpture for Isaac and a series of three drawings for my sister, Karen (the subject of a separate post one day). I have never commissioned music, though this piece makes me want to now.

So much music throughout history has been written to honor a beloved or the dead. Think of Mozart's or Faure's, "Requiem." Stunning pieces.

[Flannista]

Another aspect of the beauty of this choral piece is that it personalized war for me. I saw faces, heard actual words. It forced me to shut up for a while and honor the sacrifices of soldiers and their families.

[nowayasista]

Thank You for this post. It speaks for itself. This is who stands up for you. Real people with real lives. Real people whose kids and loved ones miss them. Real people whose wives and girlfriends and mothers and fathers know they may never return. Please don't forget them. They are the best we have.

[Flannista]

You are very welcome, noway. This choral piece makes it impossible to forget these "real people with real lives." You and PEACEsista are among these folks. We will not forget you or your sons.

[Carolyn]

I just want noway and Peace to know that I think of them and their sons every day. Your family has become the face of this war to me. I appreciate you sharing, through this site, what is undoubtedly just the veneer of pride and worry that you feel every day.

[Chrysosistah]

Still crying. What a gift to have love such as that.

[Flannista]

Thanks for all the comments -- and for taking the time to listen and care.

Am on terra firma. Must run to a lunch. Be back to sass in a bit.

[Jerseysista]

This is beautiful music. What a tribute to love and sacrifice.

[Aaron]

Thank you for listening to this great piece. I'm in my fifth season singing with Cantus and I was here when we commissioned this piece through a consortium of men's ensembles. Melissa Givens was very gracious and said that Jesse loved music so much he would be so proud that his words are immortalized in song. Premiering the piece with Melissa in the audience was so touching. As an artist, war seems so far away. So few people in my community are involved. This piece really brought the reality of the women and men who serve our country home for me. Check out more about Canuts at www.cantusonline.org or at http://www.facebook.com/CantusSings

[Flannista]

The Sassistas! are honored that you posted with us today, Aaron.

Thanks for the links, which I plan to check out.

Thanks too for sharing more with us about Melissa and Jesse.

You are right, war does seem so far away, but thanks for bringing the sacrifice close to home and transforming it into art. Again, we are honored.

[babysis]

Thanks for sharing such beautiful music and words. In addition to how this music honors the dead, I was struck by the healing power of the soldier's letter itself. I know many possess mementos like this, and find tremendous comfort from them.

When someone knows they are dying or in grave danger, they are motivated to leave a gift such as this one. A friend of mine cherishes a recording her dad made for her before he died of cancer.

Even though we know we'll all die, it's not something most of us want to stop and face, even though we could. It makes me admire the sacrifice of our soldiers all the more, for they are facing the reality in tangible ways.

[Flannista]

Eloquently stated, babysis. Thanks much.

[Flannista]

Meant to add that you bring up an interesting point, babysis . . . if we knew we were dying what kind of letter would we write and/or what would we say into a camera lens?

What immediately came to mind was that last lecture by Randy Pausch. Don't think I could have pulled it off.

[babysis]

This may sound like a bit of a cop-out to my own challenge, but I also believe we often don't have the words to say until we need them. We can't imagine going through hard things or don't see how others do, but when it's our turn we manage. Some call that grace.

[Matissta]

I was unaware that soldiers had to write a letter in case of their death, until Flann told me. I can't imagine finding the right words to express my feelings and thoughts. The combination of this letter and music is quite a wonderful remembrance of PFC Givens.

My heart goes out to his wife and family, along with all of those who have given their lives in this war and past others.

[Jerseysista]

If this letter was mandatory, it is somewhat diminished in my view.

[Flannista]

I may be mistaken about such letters being mandatory, Jersey, but even if I am, why is the impact of the letter thus diminished? The words are original, the sentiment genuine.

[Flannista]

I, too, would call it grace, babysis.

[Flannista]

Some quick and cursory research indicates that last letters may not be mandatory, but PEACEsista and nowayasista would know better than I would. I apologize if I was mistaken.

[Jerseysista]

I wonder if he would have written the letter if it weren't mandatory and if he would not have written it, why not? Might a letter written from a driving need have expressed something different? expressed something better? worse? more true? If he had written voluntarily later, maybe even on the day of his death, what would he have expressed? We will never know. And, if it was mandatory and he felt he could not express his own thoughts might he have borrowed words from a comrade? The thought of it being mandatory leaves me wondering if the words are original, the sentiment genuine.

I know everyone has their own way of expression but if I had a loved one overseas in the service I would hope to get a letter touching on shared times and what those times meant and how they were reminders of love. I would not want cliches of "a million lifetimes" and "you complete me".

This letter left me empty. It was the music that soared for me.

[Flannista]

Gosh, you are being awfully tough here, Jersey. Jesse was a private first class -- not a literature major -- and if he needed to borrow a few cliches to buoy what he found difficult to express (and who wouldn't have difficulty expressing oneself in the midst of war), why not? His words are poignant.

I don't believe the composer would have achieved the beauty of the music without the beautiful inspiration of the words. This choral piece began with the words. Here is how it came about -- from a NPR feature on Minnesota radio:

*****
St. Paul, Minn. — Private First Class Jesse Givens of Springfield, Missouri was killed in Iraq on May 1, 2003 when his tank crashed into the Euphrates River. Less than two weeks earlier he had written a heartfelt letter to his pregnant wife, unborn son and six-year-old stepson. It was to be opened only in the event of his death.

When he first heard about it, Cantus Artistic Director Erick Lichte was immediately struck by the text: "Here was a husband, a father, a soldier who went to Iraq and his voice was silenced. And here we were wanting to sing and we could give voice to somebody who was silenced."

Lichte first became aware of Jesse Givens' letter to his family when composer Lee Hoiby read it to him over the phone. Cantus had commissioned Hoiby to compose a new work for the group, but hadn't decided on a text. The letter had been published in The New York Times and featured in the HBO documentary, "Last Letters Home."

Hoiby wanted to set Jesse Givens' words to music because, he says, they were overflowing with feeling: "I thought right away of this soldier sitting in his barracks at night, probably chewing a pencil, and trying to find words for such a message. It was a very intimate letter. The kind of a letter that you would never expect to read from a husband to his wife. That's what lends it further power."
*****

How can the words leave anyone empty?

[Westsista]

Of course I was ONLY touched by the words, not so much by the music and images. Always the weirdo.

I hear ya, Jersey - but I have a strong belief in "forcing" people to write something. After years of writing practice, doing it and reading it out loud and listening to other people, I can tell you that magic happens when people write. Real life pours out, even when you don't really want it to. It is still a shock to me - even after years of doing writing practice (mostly 10 minutes at a time), what people are capable of writing in 10 minutes.

[Flannista]

Good points, Westsista, and you are no weirdo. Some of my best pieces came from being forced to write for 10 minutes without stopping.

[Jerseysista]

The words still don't do much for me. It's the fact that he wrote and that he died and that he left behind a young family that hit me. The music captures that.