“We grow accustomed to the dark” is a song based on the poem of the same name by Emily Dickinson. It is an ode to those who have the courage to resist injustice, often at great personal cost, driven by a determination to bring change to the world. The song was composed for soprano, piano, and fixed electronics (tape) in the week following the death of Alexei Navalny.
Dickinson’s poem, written around 1862, reflects on the human capacity for resilience in times of hardship and uncertainty. It speaks to our ability to adapt and endure: just as our eyes adjust after the lights are turned off, we gradually learn to navigate periods of darkness.
In this composition, the piano introduces the first five notes of the Fugue from Le tombeau de Couperin by Maurice Ravel. These notes form the foundation of the piano part, evolving continuously while repeatedly returning to the original theme. The persistent triplets suggest stumbling, searching, and hesitation.
The soprano line is restrained and objective, almost detached. The electronic layer provides a sonic foundation that gradually develops into a sense of menace, symbolizing the underlying threat experienced by individuals in the modern world.
At the line “Either the darkness alters, or something in the sight,” a moment of light emerges. The piano theme halts, accompanied by a change in key and color. This shift represents the courageous individuals who dare to see and act differently, inspiring others to follow.
After this brief transformation, the piano theme returns, reaffirming the ongoing struggle between darkness and resilience.
Dickinson’s poem, written around 1862, reflects on the human capacity for resilience in times of hardship and uncertainty. It speaks to our ability to adapt and endure: just as our eyes adjust after the lights are turned off, we gradually learn to navigate periods of darkness.
In this composition, the piano introduces the first five notes of the Fugue from Le tombeau de Couperin by Maurice Ravel. These notes form the foundation of the piano part, evolving continuously while repeatedly returning to the original theme. The persistent triplets suggest stumbling, searching, and hesitation.
The soprano line is restrained and objective, almost detached. The electronic layer provides a sonic foundation that gradually develops into a sense of menace, symbolizing the underlying threat experienced by individuals in the modern world.
At the line “Either the darkness alters, or something in the sight,” a moment of light emerges. The piano theme halts, accompanied by a change in key and color. This shift represents the courageous individuals who dare to see and act differently, inspiring others to follow.
After this brief transformation, the piano theme returns, reaffirming the ongoing struggle between darkness and resilience.
We grow accustomed to the dark
by Emily DickinsonWe grow accustomed to the Dark –
When Light is put away –
As when the Neighbor holds the Lamp
To witness her Good bye –
by Emily DickinsonWe grow accustomed to the Dark –
When Light is put away –
As when the Neighbor holds the Lamp
To witness her Good bye –
A Moment – We Uncertain step
For newness of the night –
Then – fit our Vision to the Dark –
And meet the Road – erect –
And so of larger – Darkness –
Those Evenings of the Brain –
When not a Moon disclose a sign –
Or Star – come out – within –
The Bravest – grope a little –
And sometimes hit a Tree
Directly in the Forehead –
But as they learn to see –
Either the Darkness alters –
Or something in the sight
released December 13, 2025
Composition by Lucette van den Berg
Composition by Lucette van den Berg
Nederlands 
English (UK)