by

Cool Jesse

1: (Always speaks matter-of-factly and to the audience. Pacing around in thought.) The least of which was

2: (Always interrupting, loud, and obnoxious. Doing an exaggerated march around 1 &3.) NOTHING! No! No! No — no — no. Not at all, too bland. You couldn’t have said

3: (Always moping and melancholy. Standing in place, head bowed.) Madness is the thinnest veil.

2: Do you not hear? Do — you — not hear? I ask you

3: (Interrupting.) Please, I’m fragile.

1: And while we wait . . .

4: I’m the prettiest girl, but you’ll never see. It’s me! It’s me! It’s me! Did you taste it? I couldn’t see. But I promise you: It’s me. Touch, taste, tear, tear, tear! I’m not fair, but feminine. (Pause.) Outside myself, I dance with you. (Turning away.)

5: I don’t recall you being here. Were you before? Before this was then and now you’re not? Were you before?

4: (Turning back around.) Yes, but not without reason. Let me down the drain. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. You ache.

2: An even-tempered affair. Ambulance dining carts and heather for you hair.

3: It was quiet last night.

1: You could have been

2: (Interrupting.) More than this is less than that. STOP! We were out once. We were out again.

1: But without imagination, the sun is

2: (Interrupting.) Ordinary, a common cause for causes! Wonder at all this

3: (Interrupting.) Glory at its best is foreign material.

2: Two times more, We look!

4: Winters are cold/summers are hot. This is madness! A drunken slave to time. Lust for me, know your lust, lust for me. I kiss no man, without cause. You awake to promises. I promised. I promised. Turn away, I was. Not now! Not now! Not never ever! I hate! This hate hates hate! Hate me! (Collapse and cry.)

5: Remember child, the quiet fetus. Remember? You too were once springtime. Daisies in a field, your head, a thorny crown. Your choice, not mine, not yours. It’s not.

3: I choke on the sunlight.

2: Yes! And no in time, you see? Whence did this be born? A conflict in practice. Did you already extrapolate? Foolish chameleon.

3: The noose has uterine implications.

2: Ha! And not yet without you

1: (Interrupting.) Brought forward, he made formal the ages and purchased

2: (Interrupting.) Wait for the punchline, it’s an evolution joke. Open yourself up to this . . .

5: Broken wings mend in time. Do you believe? Do you believe? I want you to catch-up and continue. It’s never too late, you wait. Not enough, please move along.

4: Into sadness, always. Like everyone else. So much like everyone else. Not this time. Whether I run away or run from here. I’m tired. Tired of this. Watch me now. Watch this. I’ll bleed for me! I’ll bleed for me! You bastard! Your hand on my breast/my hand in your pants. Not like this! Never like this!

5: A warrior’s tongue. I always said you were cute. What more? What more? Are you silent? Now you ask. You question the obvious. Why? How? What? When? Where? I can change. But you settle for less. You settle into routine romance. Do you bend? You break under me. Don’t touch me like that! Don’t touch me there!

1: A cleaner cut could never be

2: (Interrupting.) SUSTAINED! Objection! Foul! Your lines are out, redrawn substitutions. Would you dare? Not in the least,

3: (Interrupting.) A bit of hope is lost on God’s children.

2: Are you daft? Silly monkey-boy. Lizard-skinned ape. You live so unaware.

3: I am cold in the darkness.

2: And not quite together. So special in your jigsaw spaces. Tether not, young grasshopper. Ha!

1: Did you wake up into

2: (Interrupting.) Absolutes are on the way.

4: Here is my murder. A slaughterhouse sensation: funhouse for you. I caught your last breathe. I caught it saying, "I’m the prettiest girl, but you’ll never see."

5: Not tonight, son. I do not wish for repetition. I saw you/you saw me, the end. The end. Feel you in denial. Whether or not, is not. Cold here/you there. I'm quiet and I'm quiet. Speak! Speak for me!

4: Inside I’m retired. A butler of possessions. I collect hardship. Does this excite you like it excites me? It does excite me. Fellow man or fallow man. I’m in the dictionary. Look me up. Feel me up. Under my dress, a soft caress. Unwind me, princess. Glue your lips to my neck. A reflection of my mind: I’m the prettiest girl, but you’ll never see.

2: Unto this a cavity descends and winter was the fall. Corrupt at best

3: (Interrupting.) I only own one dream.

1: The least of which was . . .

• September 5, 2003 - No Shame Iowa City
  

  Performed by Jesse, Arlen, Jason, Steve, and Paul.

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