I wrote a piece of music based on a poem by Martha Postlethwaite which I also love. The poem is called Clearing and goes like this:
Do not try to save
the whole world
or do anything grandiose.
Instead, create
a clearing
in the dense forest
of your life
and wait there
patiently,
until the song
that is your life
falls into your own cupped hands
and you recognize and greet it.
Only then will you know
how to give yourself
to this world
so worthy of rescue.
This youtube version has me on all vocals. Please write to me if you would like a PDF of the score.
And here is a version with 9 singers and a violinist recorded at the Conseil des Arts de Montréal on October 27th, 2018.
(Allie Weigh, Krissi Campbell, Avery Gietz, Finn Upham, Chloé Génie, Gwenn Fritau, Catherine Harrison-Boisvert, Melanie Kerridge, Sara Breitkreutz, and Kali Halapau on violin)
Please read this post from a few years ago which explains more about why I love this poem so much
ALLIE WEIGH 
Thank you, Allie, for putting Martha Postlethwaite’s poem, ‘Clearing’ to music – it’s beautiful. I have listened to and watched the video of Choeur Maha sing it that you have posted. Thank you for that, too. Although, I first so much appreciated the earlier version of ‘Clearing’ that you had posted of perhaps you playing the instruments and singing the parts along with a short alternative ending. I am not a musician, so don’t know how to compose or anything like that, but simply found that the earlier version touched me in a way that the video didn’t. When I recently went back to listen to it, I was saddened that you had removed it. Any chance you could send me your earlier version since you no longer have it posted. Thanks again, Allie.
Hello! Thanks so much for reaching out. I am very glad that you told me me–it is true, I agree, that the choir, but especially the filming and sound issues got in the way of a good rendition of the song. I will repost my all-me version later today, and send you the link. Have a good day, Allie ps I will hope very much to have a better recording of it with choir in the future.
Hello again! I have put the recordings you appreciated back in this post.
Thank you, Allie, so much for re-posting your “all me” versions. I’ve already listened to them a few times. I think they’re wonderful.
thanks so much. If you do not mind saying, how did you come upon the post? Were you researching the poem?
Just thought I’d answer your questions even though a couple years have passed. Yes, I came upon your post while researching the poem. At the time I was studying to be an interfaith chaplain and was scheduled to give the opening to one of our classes. After some moments of silence, I played them your vocal version of the poem on my Bluetooth speaker. The words of the poem in song were a simple yet powerful opening to our class, especially as my student chaplain cohorts and I were in the midst of learning how to give ourselves to the world. Many thanks.