Dismas 14

Composition project underway! 

Around Christmas time 2022, a Catholic priest and dear friend approached me with a collection of his writings: 14, 14-line sonnets, one for each of the 14 Stations of the Cross. Would I perhaps put a melody to the words? 

The main character in these sonnets is not Christ, as you might expect, but Dismas. Dismas, the “good thief” who carried his own cross alongside Christ on the way to Calvary, who was crucified next to Christ, who – in his final moments – had a conversion of heart and said “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom,” to which Christ replied, “today you shall be with me in paradise.” It is from Dismas’s perspective of Christ that each of these sonnets are carefully crafted. The character and setting are intense, emotional, and poignantly vulnerable.

After a long delay, it’s time to begin! 

**I will not reprint any of the texts here as the collection has since been published. However, I will be using this page to post/collect ideas and research for this project. Perhaps I’ll include a few sketches of melodies along the way. Please use the form below to submit comments. All comments will remain private.**