1996
Man Eating
Composed by 
William Bolcom
William Bolcom Text by 
Jane Kenyon
Jane Kenyon Briefly It Enters Song Collection
"Man Eating" is the sixth song of William Bolcom's song cycle Briefly It Enters, which sets nine poems of Jane Kenyon.
The audio recordings from Briefly It Enters are made possible through a collaboration between the Hampsong Foundation and SongFest. The performers are the 2012 SongFest Sorel Fellow Rachel Schutz, soprano, and Tomasz Lis, piano, and the performance took place at SongFest 2012 at The Colburn School.
Text
Man Eating
by Jane Kenyon
The man at the table across from mine
is eating yogurt. His eyes, following
the progress of the spoon, cross briefly
each time it nears his face. Time,
and the world with all its principalities,
might come to an end as prophesied
by the Apostle John, but what about
this man, so completely present
to the little carton with its cool,
sweet food, which has caused no animal
to suffer, and which he is eating
with a pearl-white plastic spoon.
Related Information
SongFest Website
songfest.usThe Sorel Organization
sorelmusic.org/festivals.htmVideo
Audio
“Man eating” (from “Briefly It Enters”)
Rachel Schutz (soprano) & Tomasz Lis (piano)1:32
Sheet Music
Briefly It Enters
William Bolcom
1. Who
2. The Clearing
3. Otherwise
4. February: Thinking of Flowers
5. Twilight: After Haying Text: Jane Kenyon6. Man Eating
7. The Sick Wife
8. Peonies at Dusk
9. Briefly It Enters, and Briefly Speaks
2. The Clearing
3. Otherwise
4. February: Thinking of Flowers
5. Twilight: After Haying Text: Jane Kenyon6. Man Eating
7. The Sick Wife
8. Peonies at Dusk
9. Briefly It Enters, and Briefly Speaks