In 2017, during the lichen class that introduced me to lichens, we ended the class with an assignment to come up with something creative about lichens (alongside a more serious research-type project). I wrote a song, called The Age of Enlichenment, which I posted on Soundcloud and have embedded below. My banjolele skills are mediocre, the chord progression simple, and did not spend a lot of time perfecting the recording, but I do love it and am proud of it, and am happy to say I’ve had the chance to sing and play it with other lichen enthusiasts over the years. (I’ve also had students of my own write their own songs or song parodies about lichens when I assigned them a creative project inspired by the one I had to do myself!)

I hope you enjoy it.

C D
I used to go out walking, climbed on rocks and measured trees
G C
Looked for tracks of animals, heard the buzzing of the bees
C D
Didn’t I was missing something wonderful and strange
F C
But then I was enlichened, and I was forever changed!

C D
Come and be enlichened by these tiny fungi farms
F G C
Come look through my hand lens, awaken to their charms!

C D
First I learned the basics–the crusts and leafs and hair
G C
And how they take in everything that’s floating in the air
C D
How to key a lichen out, test for a metabolite
F C
How in reproduction spore and algae must unite

C D
Come and be enlichened by these tiny fungi farms
F G C
Come look through my hand lens, awaken to their charms!

C D
Later on the lessons starting getting more advanced
G C
Lichens forming soil crusts, lichens on the leaves of plants
C D
Lichens moving round the world on the legs of beasts
F C
And the great new lichen partner, the mystery of yeasts!

C D
Come and be enlichened by these tiny fungi farms
F G C
Come look through my hand lens, awaken to their charms!

C D
Now I go out walking and there’s so much to see!
G C
Xanthoria is glowing on nearly every tree!
C D
I pack my wounds with Usnea, lichens are filling up my car
F C
And I’m laying out the plans for a lichen brandy bar!

C D
Come and be enlichened by these tiny fungi farms
F G C
Come look through my hand lens, awaken to their charms!