The Age of the Heart
A song cycle in 5 movements
Music by Daniel Warren 1959
Poetry by Stephen Warren 1957-1988
My brother, Stephen Warren, was born with a rare bone condition called Osteogenesis imperfecta. His life was confined to a wheelchair but his mind soared. He had an incredible wit and joy for living that was the inspiration for anyone who met him. His journey through life was different but he experienced many of the same disappointments and victories as anyone. Love, mobility, work, friendships. These are the things he wrote about in his poetry. After Stephen’s passing in 1988, I found several books of his poetry and only recently decided to set five of the most poignant and enduring to music. I chose a baritone voice as soloist.
The greatest difficulty that Stephen had with life was the way he and others were judged by their outward appearance - not the quality of their soul or humanity. The first song, “Minutes pass by” states this most clearly. He requests that the listener find the age or quality of the heart rather than the accomplishments of the individual or their outward appearance when assessing their worth.
The second song, “If I could paint you well” was written for one of his dearest loves. As Stephen’s calling was to be a painter, he looked within his beloved to see her struggles and strengths and paint each of them. To paint you well he would paint her peace, hope, and love.
The third song is from a poem he wrote when he received his first electric wheelchair - his “Kiss of Freedom”. His absolute joy to have the independence to travel where and when was a freedom he never enjoyed to that point. He was able to move to Toronto and live independently.
The fourth song was written after he and his girlfriend took a trip to Europe. On the day they returned she admitted that she was unable to see past his physical limitations and she left him.
The final song, “Would that it Were” is a longing for his heart to be right - free from anger and resentment for his condition. He finds contentment and peace in the freedom of forgiveness and knowing that he is loved unconditionally.
Daniel Warren, composer. 2023.
1. Minutes Pass By
To some, minutes pass by undetected
While others find themselves.
And days are spent unnoticed by many
While the eager learns to live
Years come relentlessly while some dream.
Others open themselves
To love, to life, to pain
They grow!
What do you learn when you sleep?
Learn the age of the heart.
To give value and precedence to years is vain.
Learn the age of the heart!
To some, young men are strong in their youth
While others wake in the twilight of their passing
And days long passed, remembered by many,
While the eager learns to live.
2. If I Could Paint You Well
If i could paint you well
With soothing peaceful colour
And gentle be my brush.
Begin with hues of love and tones of soft embrace
Soft embrace.
If I could paint you well, this illness to erase.
If I could paint you peace
Amidst your private storm
And true my hand did fall, enclose you safe within
A warm alizarin sky, alizarin sky.
If I could paint you peace, I’d surely set to try
If I could paint you hope
The spirit as my guide
And strength would be the form
Set in a land of gentleness
With promise, each new sun, each new sun.
If I could paint you hope, it surely would be done.
But i can paint you love
It’s colour in my eyes
It’s texture of my skin
Its height and width not bound be feeble outer frame, feeble frame
Yes i can paint you love
And painting bears no shame.
3. Foreign Shores
To foreign shores and distant lands
Through virgin woods and uncombed sands
Tis there, tis there that my love leads me
‘Neath almond moon and velvet skies
Elusive stars and night bird cries
Tis there, tis there that my love holds me
Caressed by breeze and held by light
Much joy by day and peace by night
Tis this, tis this that my love gives me
Of splendid things and mys’tries deep
At life we laugh and life we weep
Tis this, tis this that my love shows me
To foreign shores and distant lands
Through virgin woods and uncombed sands
Tis there, tis there that my love leaves me
4. The Kiss of freedom
To think such joy could be brought
Into this world of mine
With constant boundaries of heartless stone
A universe defined
Colour, endless hues and tones,
All from which I’ll choose
The blue of skies or nights salt waters
Shall reflect my muse!
And should the light from windows cast
It’s gold and amber rays
Dance on walls of still fresh paint
And filter through my days
Oh joy, thou stranger these long years
Again within me well (up)
To know your kiss of freedom bliss
While still in darkness dwell
Decide, decide, which shall it be
To tarry long is pain
The red of rose or grey of mist
As in an autumn rain
And now tis done, the work is o’er
And yet Ilive not well
Although the paint be fresh and clean
It’s still my prison cell.
5. Would that it Were
May, 1985.
Would that it were, a man could fly
And so be truly free,
Spirit soaring, not bound by land,
Nor prisoned by the sea
And would that it were, a man could sing,
Regardless of his storm,
Emotions guided by inner strength
And not by outer storm
Would that it were,a man could grow,
Amidst continued pain,
Then feel within his withering heart,
The strength to heal again
And would that it were, a man could love,
While love around doth die,
To care for those who drive the nails,
And in so doing, fly.
Stephen Warren 1957-1988