The Squonk

from Necessary Monsters by Carla Kihlstedt & Rafael Osés

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THE SQUONK
Lacrimacorpus dissolvens
‘Being that cries at the drop of a tear.’

lyrics

THE SQUONK
‘Being that cries at the drop of a tear.’

The Squonk is sorrow herself – the embodiment of sadness. A creature of rare elegance and melancholy, her capacity for compassion knows no bounds. When cornered, she has the unique ability to entirely evaporate in tears, thereby returning her salt to the earth.

DESCRIPTION:
A moling dollop, ready for deduction. A sprung set of locks.
A frothy and glittering body of water. A great salt lake.

VOICE:
A sort of wail song.
A soothing and wavering blubber.

HABITAT:
Pennsylvania coal country. Minnesota forests.

The night burns frosty moonlight. She’s retired,
her empty, burrowed coal bed filled with tears;

hemlocks point at tarry stars. A blackened
pollock swims in the pit of her mineshaft. Eyes

shine with icy water, cry. Bubbles char the cold.
Bubbles char the Coal Sack, dissolve her into salt.

credits

from Necessary Monsters, released October 16, 2021
Music by Carla Kihlstedt
Words by Rafael Osés

THE PLAYERS:
Rafael Osés - spoken voice
Carla Kihlstedt - voice, violin, viola, wine glasses
Chris Fisher-Lochhead - viola
Theresa Wong - cello
Nina Rolle - accordion
Freddi Price - National Steel Guitar, trumpet, whistling
Nicolás Castañeda - Colombian harp
Jon Evans - electric bass
Shahzad Ismaily - percussion

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about

Carla Kihlstedt Falmouth, Massachusetts

Make things. Brake things. Start from scratch. Scratch the surface. Let it bleed a braid of music, sound & words.

Bands:
Rabbit Rabbit Radio, Tin Hat, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, 2 Foot Yard, Minamo, Causing a Tiger

Composed for: ICEnsemble, ROVA, SFGirls Chorus, Brooklyn Youth Chorus, Variant Six, inkBoat, Present Music

Faculty:
NEC Contemporary Improvisation Dept., VCFA MFA Music Comp Dept. ... more

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