Season Travelers
by Wenbin Lyu

I. Mallards Are Here

Mallards are here—
who told them spring’s first secret?
Last snow weeps toward the lake—and with it, my last tear.
It’s spring today.

Eggshells split—
downy bills drink morning’s grace.
All wounds soften where willows sway—
and I smile again.
It's spring today.

II. Songbirds Love

Love! Love!—dewdrops gleam so fair.
Thrush flutes, “Where? Where?
Wren trills, “There! There!”

Love! Love!—blazing sun shouts so loud!
Sparrow chirps, “Now! Now!
Cardinal cheers, “Vow! Vow!”

Love! Love!—fireflies shimmer, glowing high.
Nightingale warbles, “Our serenade.”
Blackbird whistles, “Our lullaby.”

Love! Love!
All birds chorus, “Love! Love!”

III. The Migrating Sky

Rustling leaves weave their last goodbye,
While echoes trace the migrating sky.
The geese chant hymns on their homeward line—
Why sings their song, but not for mine?

IV. Eagle Mind

Alone—
I crossed the borderless sky.
North winds scorched my eyes—and still,
I chose to fly.

No nest. No map.
Just wings. Just mind.
The world was vast,
And I was once trapped inside.
But I soared skyward,
No fear. No chains.
On wings, through mind.

Now, hear—
my screech rip through the sky!

I’ve lived in the U.S. for years, but interestingly, I’ve never composed any works with text. I’ve always felt not good enough to handle English, especially when it comes to song setting. However, there’s always a first time. With help from my sister, a linguist based in Spain, I wrote a set of poems inspired by birds specifically for this song cycle.

Season Travelers consists of four songs, each representing a bird that symbolizes a specific season: Spring – Mallard, Summer – Warbler, Autumn – Goose, and Winter – Eagle. I developed this idea together with my friend Yi Ding, who also commissioned the piece. In this work, the vocalist not only sings but also performs with bird-call whistles to imitate the sounds of birds—an area of research I’ve been exploring for a long time. I’m very glad to have composed this piece.

The poems are drawn from my own life, and it feels magical to see others telling it.

(Wenbin Lyu, October 31, 2025)

May 3, 2026; Christ the King Lutheran Church; West Chester Township, OH; DuoMente & Yi Ding

December 1, 2025 (premiere); College-Conservatory of Music; Cincinnati, OH; Yi Ding & Nano Beraia