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Vital Sparks

Occasional essays on the texts found in The Sacred Harp and related tune books

Written by

Will Fitzgerald

Vital Sparks: Interview with A.J. Higgins

“I’m Bound to Die in the Army: The Interplay of Language and Culture in Antebellum Hymnody”

Will Fitzgerald

Sep 7, 2026

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3 min read

Labor is sweet

US Labor Day, 2026

Will Fitzgerald

Harriet Auber: From everlasting Thou art God

Sep 1, 2026

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2 min read

Harriet Auber: From everlasting Thou art God

Short biographies of poets in The Sacred Harp

Will Fitzgerald

Vital Sparks: Anne Steele is cozy with the ineffable

Apr 28, 2026

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4 min read

Vital Sparks: Anne Steele is cozy with the ineffable

Anne Steele, Part 2

Will Fitzgerald

Apr 14, 2026

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5 min read

Vital Sparks: Do you feel the smart?

Semantic Drift in The Sacred Harp, part 2

Will Fitzgerald

Vital Sparks: Gentle patience smiles on pain

Mar 31, 2026

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8 min read

Vital Sparks: Gentle patience smiles on pain

Anne Steele and personal suffering

Will Fitzgerald

Vital Sparks: Songs for Desperate Straits, Part 1

Feb 28, 2026

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6 min read

Vital Sparks: Songs for Desperate Straits, Part 1

Waiting for a cure

Will Fitzgerald

Feb 18, 2026

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10 min read

Worm Theology

A Lenten meditation on human vermicularity

Will Fitzgerald

Vital Sparks: The poetry of Judge Jackson

Feb 2, 2026

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9 min read

Vital Sparks: The poetry of Judge Jackson

An essay for Black History month

Will Fitzgerald

Archive

Vital Sparks: Interview with A.J. Higgins

Labor is sweet

Harriet Auber: From everlasting Thou art God

Vital Sparks: Anne Steele is cozy with the ineffable

Vital Sparks: Do you feel the smart?

Vital Sparks: Gentle patience smiles on pain

Vital Sparks: Songs for Desperate Straits, Part 1

Worm Theology

Vital Sparks: The poetry of Judge Jackson

Vital Sparks