June 9, 2026

Jon, Rhina, Lucy, and “Just Stopping”

Some of you may recall that we’ll be doing “The Jury” for soprano and string quartet again this summer, a collaboration between composer Jon Deak and poet Rhina P. Espaillat with Lucy Shelton singing the poem. (ok, if you've been reading these, I've only mentioned it every other post....)

This match-made-in-heaven between three artistic titans and deeply kind human beings stands at the center of this summer’s proceedings because we actually have two pieces by this trio of artists, the second being a world premiere of Rhina’s poem, “Just Stopping.”

Lucy, Rhina, Jon

Being a nudge, I asked Jon and Rhina and Lucy each to do readings of the new poem for me, with Jon again providing a brief commentary. The poem is all of three minutes long – perfect for a listen over a cup of coffee (or a scotch). Here are the three versions.

Link to Jon Deak reading "Just Stopping" on Youtube
Jon reading “Just Stopping”

Link to Rhina Espaillat reading "Just Stopping" on Youtube
Rhina reading her poem “Just stopping”

Link to Lucy Shelton reading "Just Stopping" on youtube
Lucy reading “Just Stopping”
Just Stopping
By Rhina P. Espaillat

The god in whom I once believed
showed up last night beside my bed,
and sat down at the foot. I said,
“What a surprise! Lord, I’m relieved
that you’re not dead!”

He shrugged. “I have good days and bad.
When I was Zeus, what clout I had!
These days, it’s all about complaints.
What thanks we get—it makes me mad—
goes to the saints

for curing stuff and granting things,
as if Creation were a mall
where every merchant has his stall.
And arguments: You’re made of strings,
you’re a big ball

of motion, you’re a state of mind,
you’re mathematics
… on and on."
Now I could see his face was lined
like that of some old Mafia don
whose turf is gone.

And he looked tired, which, truth to tell,
He’d have to be by now, and bored,
unlike his counterpart in Hell,
and only fitfully adored.
He wasn’t well.

I told him, “Look, you need some sleep;
lie down; I’ll wake you when it’s day,
and make you breakfast, if you stay."
But mumbling “…promises to keep…,”
he paled away.

When light returned, I knew I’d done
less than I should. But then, he’d run
too soon to hear what or how much
I might have said: Thanks for the sun,
or Stay in touch.

Link to Jon Deak talking about "Just Stopping" on youtube
Some thoughts from Jon on “Just Stopping”


I’d love to hear what some of you think. They are different and similar at the same time.  

David Yang, Artistic Director

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