Larken Goode is now in her senior year at The Sharon Academy. She is a musician and songwriter and wrote her original song “Expressions Upon Thee” about the devastation caused by Tropical storm Irene. She was invited to play her song at the Connecticut River Watershed Council’s Irene Concert on August 28 in Deerfield, MA. The song was produced by local composer Bob Merrill and is available on iTunes. Can you provide a little background about yourself? Where are you from? Where did you grow up? I was born at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital in NH, but was raised in Vermont. I moved around from town to town over the years, but mostly stayed within the Woodstock area. How did Tropical Storm Irene affect your community? Many things were altered and destroyed within Woodstock and in the neighboring towns of my community. During the happenings of the storm, I was at my grandparents’ house, which is on a higher elevated area in Woodstock. The next morning my family walked down the road to find that it had been completely washed out, so we were stuck at home for a couple days. My grandparents then rented a car to keep on the other side of the washout, and my mom and I went back home. My school started late because of Irene damages, and we weren’t allowed to drink or use the water or bathrooms, so portable bathrooms and water bottles were provided for a couple weeks. When did you begin playing music? What got you into music? I have always found an enjoyment in singing, and when I was about ten I became fascinated with the guitar and the overall gist of how music is created and expressed through those creations. And then at some point my mind took off and I began to learn to play other instruments. What inspired you to write Expressions Upon Thee? What is the song about? “Expressions Upon Thee” was written during my study hall in the band room at Wooodstock Union High School. At that time, people were starting to finish ”tidying up” what Irene left behind and start anew with lost businesses and places where both community and tourist members went to collaborate. This song describes what each person that was affected was asking themselves. What’s the reason? What are your plans for the future? I am going into my senior year of high school. After that I would like to spend my summer in a foreign place experiencing a different culture. I’ll go to college, possibly a Liberal Arts school, and expand my knowledge on my many interests. The world will always be out there for me to explore, being college educated will make me feel wiser and better able to fully take in what the world has to offer. How has Vermont played a role in your development as an artist and as a person? I think Vermont holds beauty and imagination to the viewer's eye unlike anywhere else on this planet. I am also including the lyrics to my song. Expressions Upon Thee I can see the water rising Expressions of the trees Changing ‘cause they know Smiles disappear People all around me Shaking hands of fear Thoughts constantly passing by The loss of precious things It’s a slow complication As the poison sets in Something that cannot be ignored Our safety’s growing thin If things happen for a reason What’s the reason? Larken Good Story by Neel Tandan
