"I Died for Beauty" is composed in memory of Kate (1977-2016), who was the embodiment of boundless creativity. Daily, she made art, fashion, works of music on a variety of topics, sang, danced, and wrote poetry. She was born only a few months before me. When I met her, she joined my community choir that I had newly founded. She lived nearby, regularly walked over to my house for a ride to rehearsal, and always came with a creative gift. Though she alluded to difficulty with sleep and employment, I never knew her daily struggle with mental illness and past trauma. Her creative output was enormous. She couldn't not create.
When I discovered via social media that she had died by her own hand, she had already been gone for 6 months. I had interacted with her the day before her death on a somewhat sad and mysterious post, her last. The words of this poem speak to me of her, and of all the singers in our choirs; friends and acquaintances who may or may not have similar inner struggles.
This piece is a reminder of the relationship between creativity and emotional expression. We sit next to creative and emotional people every day in choral rehearsals everywhere. Let's remember to encourage each other and truly see and hear each other's creative output. Let's remind one and other to wake up tomorrow morning and create more Beauty and Truth. Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
