Resources for LossMain MenuKathleen M. Coleman3e1b11861089b7035d15e5dc33eb8994155c4ae5
Sufjan Stevens, "John My Beloved" (Official Audio)
12021-04-24T17:02:26-04:00Emily Mitchellff4ea107307f7ae7326072957b361b722e43ffd1731LYRICS: Are we to speak, first day of the week Stumbling words at the bar Beauty blue eyes, my order of fries Long Island kindness and wine Beloved of John, ...plain2021-04-24T17:02:26-04:002015-03-31T00:57:52ZYouTubeAsthmatic Kitty RecordswVZUBMUekckEmily Mitchellff4ea107307f7ae7326072957b361b722e43ffd1
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12021-04-24T17:03:14-04:00Three songs from "Carrie & Lowell" by Sufjan Stevens, contributed by Charis Garman (2021)2plain2021-04-24T17:03:51-04:00Sufjan Stevens wrote “Carrie & Lowell” as a reflection on his estranged mother’s death from stomach cancer. He says, “With this record, I needed to extract myself out of this environment of make-believe,” and “It's something that was necessary for me to do in the wake of my mother's death—to pursue a sense of peace and serenity in spite of suffering. It's not really trying to say anything new, or prove anything, or innovate. It feels artless, which is a good thing. This is not my art project; this is my life.” The songs address the complexity of relationships and humanity: dealing with themes of ambiguous loss (by estrangement), religion, cyclical grief and life, and the aftermath of death. The lyrics rely heavily on personal and traditional imagery, and the music, with the rippling accompaniment, is calming. Listening to these tracks has always given me a sense of tranquility as I contemplate my own losses and mortality.