This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
I Climb to Rest
Staff Notation • Sacred, Partsongs
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I Climb to Rest by James M. Dungan — Lyrics
Still must I climb if I would rest,
The bird soars upward to its nest;
The young leaf on the treetop high
Cradles itself within the sky.
The streams that seem to hasten down
Return in clouds the hills to crown;
The plant arises from her root
To rock her flower and fruit.
I cannot in the valley stay,
The great horizons stretch away;
The very cliffs that wall me round
Are ladders unto higher ground.
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About I Climb to Rest
James M. Dungan's I Climb to Rest is a SATB setting of an English text that explores the spiritual journey of striving for higher understanding and peace. The lyrics draw a parallel between natural phenomena and the human soul's need to move beyond earthly limitations. It suggests that true rest and fulfillment are not found in stagnation but in persistent effort and aspiration, likening the ascent to a divine purpose. This sacred artsong, suitable for mixed choirs, uses the SATB voicing to create rich harmonies that underscore the text's evocative imagery of climbing towards a loftier level and drawing nearer to the heavens.
