Bear Testimony

I wrote a song based on Rita Dove's poem "Testimonial."

The poem by Dove is below on the left, and then the lyrics to the song are below on the right.  The music is below that -- and you can click on the images to enlarge them.
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Here's the poem by Rita Dove:

Back when the earth was new
and heaven just a whisper,
back when the names of things
hadn't had time to stick;

back when the smallest breezes
melted summer into autumn,
when all the poplars quivered
sweetly in rank and file . . .

the world called, and I answered.
Each glance ignited to a gaze.
I caught my breath and called that life, 
swooned between spoonfuls of lemon sorbet.

I was pirouette and flourish,
I was filigree and flame.
How could I count my blessings
when I didn't know their names?

Back when everything was still to come,
luck leaked out everywhere.
I gave my promise to the world,
and the world followed me here.

Here is how I use the poem to create the lyrics:

Back when the Earth was new
And heaven just a whisper,
Back when the names of things
Hadn’t time to stick.
Back when the smallest breeze
Melted summer into autumn
When all the poplars quivered
In rank and file.
 
     The world called and I answered.
     The world called and I answered.
     I gave my promise to the world,
     And the world followed me here.
 
[Music]
 
     The world called and I answered.
     The world called and I answered.
     I gave my promise to the world,
     And the world followed me here.
 
I was pirouette and flourish,
I was filigree and flame.
How could I count my blessings
When I didn't know their names?
 
Back when the Earth was new
And heaven just a whisper,
Back when the names of things
Hadn’t time to stick.
Back when everything
Was still, still to come
Back when luck leaked out
Everywhere, everywhere.
  
     The world called and I answered.
     The world called and I answered.
     I gave my promise to the world,
     And the world followed me here.

I don't have a metronome, so I can't specify an exact tempo, but it should be at a moderate pace -- and the tone should be a bit haunting.

NOTE:  The bass notes in the first 8 measures should include the octave lower; the same is true for the last eight measures before the repeat  on page 4 -- and for the coda on page 6.
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