Thirteen Ways to Fly With a Blackbird

Program note

Sonnets are about fourteen,
and the truth that makes the words sing.



Guitars are fretted,
to divide a certain string,
into the twelve that makes the notes fly.



Thirteen is about twelve,
and its desire to be thirteen.



Thirteen is also fourteen,
but thinks that's one too many.



Thirteen is never content with thirteen.



There are camps of twelve and fourteen
in the heart of thirteen.



I know it’s true,
because I know the blackbird knows what’s true,
When I find thirteen ways to fly.



-Wang Jie
March 2019