Sunday, September 20, 2009

A Little Night Music

"Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos."
~ Stephen Sondheim

I've found myself falling in love with a song from Sondheim's musical, Sunday in the Park With George. I want to be in this show so bad. It's stunning, the way Lapine and Sondheim create a story out of Seurat's "A Sunday on La Grand Jatte".

Sometimes I listen to it and hear myself in Dot. George's lover who is leaving him now that she is raising a child, emotionally forgotten and disregarded by George. Begging for some sort of verification to validate her existence and purpose in George's life.

Sometimes I listen to it and hear myself in George. The artist consumed with his work who seems to have drifted from reality, drifted from the love of people, and buried himself in the love of art.

Sometimes I listen... and that's just what I do...


[[Dot]]
Yes, George, run to your work.
Hide behind your painting.
I have come to tell you I am leaving because I thought you might
care to know-foolish of me, because you care about nothing-

[[George]]
I care about many things-

[[Dot]]
Things-not people.


[[George]]
People, too. I cannot divide my feelings up as neatly as you,
and I am not hiding behind my canvas-I am living in it.

[[Dot]]
What you care for is yourself.

[[George]]
I care for this painting. You will be in this painting.

[[Dot]]
I am something you can use.

[[George]]
I had thought you understood.

[[Dot]]
It's because I understand that I left,
That I am leaving.

[[George]]
Then there's nothing I can say,
Is there?

[[Dot]]
Yes. George, there is:
You could tell me not to go.
Say it to me.
Tell me not to go.
Tall me that you're hurt,
Tell me you're relieved,
Tell me that you're bored-
Anything, but don't assume I know.
Tell me what you feel!


[[George]]
What I feel?
You know exactly how I feel.
Why do you insist
You must hear the words,
When you know I cannot give you words?
Not the ones you need.
There's nothing to say.
I cannot be what you want.


[[Dot]]
What do you want, George?

[[George]]
I needed you and you left.

[[Dot]]
There was no room for me-

[[George]]
You will not accept who I am.
I am what I do-
Which you knew,
Which you always knew,
Which I thought you were a part of!

[[Dot]]
No,
You are complete, George,
You are your own.
We do not belong together.
You are complete, George,
You all alone.
I am unfinished,
I am diminished
With or without you.

We do not belong together,
And we should have belonged together.
What made it so right together
Is what made it all wrong.

No one is you, George.
There you agree,
But others will do, George.
No one is you and
No one can be,
But no one is me, George,
No one is me.
We do not belong together.
And we'll never belong-!

You have a mission,
A mission to see.
Now I have one too, George.
And we should have belonged together.
I have to move on.

3 comments:

  1. A lovely song indeed, today I´m feeling just that way. You know one of those days you feel immersed in your own thoughts and care for no one else and like the person I should be with is no longer here, :( *gasp* such is life, Hope you´re feeling better.
    Still, if you feel up for it I have just tagged you in a little game, would you mind to play with along?
    Hope you do, also, have tried talking to you on AIM, still no luck, hope you come around soon :)
    Love
    me

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  2. I've never heard that song before. But I liked it. I can relate to it to some degree. I'm kinda in that situation right now and it sucks.

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  3. God, I LOVE this song and this musical! I'd almost forgotten about it.

    Glad I stumbled upon your blog. :)


    Jake
    from UNT's Glad

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