memes sideblog !

this is literally just a sideblog for askbox memes. enjoy !

[tunehummed]

PUT UP OR SHUT UP.  —  140 sentences from all time low’s 2006 ep.  change pronouns as needed.  trigger warnings for discussion of toxic relationships and death.

COFFEE SHOP SOUNDTRACK.

‘‘ should i write myself out of the history books? ’’

‘‘ should i write myself out of the history books and mark a place in time for every chance you took? ’’

‘‘ don’t get me wrong. ’’

‘‘ don’t get me wrong, i know you’ve got your life in place. ’’

‘‘ i know you’ve got your life in place. ’’

‘‘ i’ve yet to take the hint. ’’

‘‘ someday i’m sure i’ll get the picture and stop waiting up. ’’

‘‘ will you be there to carry home the remains of my wasted youth? ’’

‘‘ this wasted time on you has left me shaking. ’’

‘‘ tonight is alive with the promise of a street fight. ’’

‘‘ there’s money on the table that says your cheap shots won’t be able to break bones. ’’

‘‘ i’ve yet to break a sweat. ’’

‘‘ i’ll make your past regret its future. ’’

‘‘ this wasted time on you has left me shaking in waiting for something more. ’’

‘‘ make all of my decisions for me. ’’

‘‘ i’ve never taken the fall for deceit. ’’

‘‘ we’ll keep a secret if you keep me guessing. ’’

‘‘ the taste of your lips says we shouldn’t have met like this. ’’

‘‘ i can keep a secret if you can keep me guessing. ’’

‘‘ the flavor of your lips is enough to keep me pressing. ’’

‘‘ the flavor of your lips is enough to keep me pressing for more than just a moment of truth between the lies told to pull ourselves away from the lives we leave back. ’’

‘‘ the flavor of your lips is enough to keep me here. ’’

BREAK OUT! BREAK OUT!

‘‘ luck loves me not tonight, i’m running out. ’’

‘‘ this four leaf clover’s all but useless now. ’’

‘‘ i’ve got four wheels that say i’m not alone tonight. ’’

‘‘ i’m always looking for a joyride through the brightest part of this town. ’’

‘‘ break out! break out! ’’

‘‘ break out as we escape through the window. ’’

‘‘ head for the car and never look back. ’’

‘‘ our time has come and we’ve got these big city dreams. ’’

‘‘ put up or shut up. ’’

‘‘ put up or shut up, we’re not wasting time again. ’’

‘‘ we’re not wasting time again. ’’

‘‘ the credits are rolling and we’re getting lost again. ’’

‘‘ we’re getting lost again. ’’

‘‘ we’re getting lost again in parking lots. ’’

‘‘ let’s take a moment to reflect. ’’

‘‘ let’s take a moment to reflect on the past few years of my life. ’’

‘‘ i haven’t worked myself away to stay inside. ’’

‘‘ this is the time to let us break out. ’’

THE GIRL’S A STRAIGHT-UP HUSTLER.

‘‘ lipstick has a way of leaving more than just a mark on my sheets. ’’

‘‘ lipstick has a way of leaving more than just a mark on my sheets, coloring my senses cherry red. ’’

‘‘ we play along, so bittersweet by our design. ’’

‘‘ i’m sick and tired of writing songs about you. ’’

‘‘ this is it, this is the end. ’’

‘‘ take off your make-up and put down the camera. ’’

‘‘ choke on the drama. ’’

‘‘ choke on the drama that makes me want to tear up the pictures. ’’

‘‘ choke on the drama that makes me want to tear up the pictures, the pages you’ve saved creating a life of trends and make-believe. ’’

‘‘ i’ve got no place in my heart for a criminal like you to dwell. ’’

‘‘ i’ve got no place in my heart for a criminal like you to dwell in this endeavor, make this last forever. ’’

‘‘ i’m just delirious. ’’

‘‘ i’m just delirious. you can’t be serious. ’’

‘‘ you can’t be serious. ’’

‘‘ you’re so infamous for leaving me a mess. ’’

‘‘ she gets what she wants. ’’

‘‘ she gets what she wants and she breaks what she gets. ’’

‘‘ she breaks what she gets. ’’

‘‘ get out while you can. ’’

‘‘ get out while you can or she’ll tear you to pieces. ’’

‘‘ she’ll tear you to pieces. ’’

‘‘ are you having a good time, sweetheart? ’’

‘‘ carry on home. ’’

‘‘ carry on home. i’ll be waiting miles and miles away. ’’

‘‘ i’ll be waiting miles and miles away. ’’

‘‘ i’ll be waiting miles and miles away, leaving you to be forever seventeen and cleaning up the messes that you’ve made. ’’

JASEY RAE.

‘‘ lights out, i still hear the rain. ’’

‘‘ these images that fill my head now keep my fingers from making mistakes. ’’

‘‘ tell my voice what it takes to speak up. ’’

‘‘ tell my voice what it takes to speak up and keep my conscience clean when i wake. ’’

‘‘ speak up and keep my conscience clean when i wake. ’’

‘‘ don’t make this easy. ’’

‘‘ don’t make this easy. i want you to mean it. ’’

‘‘ i want you to mean it. ’’

‘‘ say you’ll mean it. ’’

‘‘ you’re dressed to kill. ’’

‘‘ you’re dressed to kill. i’m calling you out. ’’

‘‘ i’m calling you out. ’’

‘‘ don’t waste your time on me. ’’

‘‘ now there’s an aching in my back. ’’

‘‘ now there’s an aching in my back, a stabbing pain that says i lack the common sense and confidence to bring an end to promises. ’’

‘‘ i lack the common sense and confidence to bring an end to promises that i make in times of desperate conversation. ’’

‘‘ hoping my night could be better than theirs in the end. ’’

‘‘ just say when. ’’

‘‘ i’ve never told a lie. ’’

‘‘ i’ve never told a lie and that makes me a liar. ’’

‘‘ that makes me a liar. ’’

‘‘ i’ve never made a bet. ’’

‘‘ i’ve never made a bet, but we gamble with desire. ’’

‘‘ we gamble with desire. ’’

‘‘ i’ve never lit a match with intent to start a fire. ’’

‘‘ i’ve never lit a match with intent to start a fire, but recently the flames are getting out of control. ’’

‘‘ recently the flames are getting out of control. ’’

‘‘ call me a name. ’’

‘‘ call me a name. kill me with words. ’’

‘‘ kill me with words. ’’

‘‘ forget about me. ’’

‘‘ forget about me. it’s what i deserve. ’’

‘‘ it’s what i deserve. ’’

‘‘ i was your chance to get out of this town. ’’

‘‘ i was your chance to get out of this town, but i ditched the car and left you to wait outside. ’’

‘‘ i ditched the car and left you to wait. ’’

‘‘ i hope the air will serve to remind you that my heart is as cold as the clouds of your breath. ’’

‘‘ my heart is as cold as the clouds of your breath. ’’

‘‘ my heart is as cold as the clouds of your breath and my words are as timed as the beating in my chest. ’’

‘‘ my words are as timed as the beating in my chest. ’’

THE PARTY SCENE.

‘‘ hey, kid, you’ve got a lot of potential. ’’

‘‘ you’ve got a lot of potential, but i think it’s time to move up. ’’

‘‘ i think it’s time to move up. ’’

‘‘ so go on and blow us away with your sound. ’’

‘‘ now you’re everything that we’ve come to love. ’’

‘‘ now we’ll show it off. ’’

‘‘ just drop us a beat. ’’

‘‘ here’s to the fast times, the times we felt alive. ’’

‘‘ to all the nights that we forgot to get back home. ’’

‘‘ stay seventeen. ’’

‘‘ the party scene has got the best of me and you. ’’

‘‘ we’ve got to let this go. ’’

‘‘ drink up. ’’

‘‘ drink up. last call before the sunrise sets the scene. ’’

‘‘ last call before the sunrise sets the scene of empty bottles, heavy hearts. ’’

‘‘ we were so tired yet so alive. ’’

‘‘ we were so tired yet so alive, wrapped up in lies like sheets of another one night stand. ’’

‘‘ you know you left the girl with nothing but the sunrise through the window pane. ’’

‘‘ i know she hopes i choke on this last drink. ’’

‘‘ i’ll love you forever or find something better. ’’

‘‘ it’s all just the same as when we sleep together. ’’

‘‘ we wake up with headaches and trouble remembering what went wrong. ’’

RUNNING FROM LIONS.

‘‘ get me out of this place. ’’

‘‘ get me out of this place before i cause more damage. ’’

‘‘ a small price to pay for building houses out of matchsticks. ’’

‘‘ when things get too hot, you’ve got me to blame. ’’

‘‘ you’ve got me to blame. ’’

‘‘ you’ve got me to blame for every fire that breaks out in every lover’s name. ’’

‘‘ don’t forget. ’’

‘‘ don’t forget we’ve got unfinished business. ’’

‘‘ we’ve got unfinished business. ’’

‘‘ we’ve got unfinished business, stories yet to unfold, tales that must be retold. ’’

‘‘ i regret not knowing when to put an end to all this madness. ’’

‘‘ all this madness keeps me wanting more. ’’

‘‘ sell me out. ’’

‘‘ sell me out. i’m yesterday’s old news. ’’

‘‘ i’m yesterday’s old news. ’’

‘‘ black ink bleeding through the pages where we made our history. ’’

‘‘ call me foolish. ’’

‘‘ call me foolish. i feel hopeless. ’’

‘‘ i feel hopeless. ’’

‘‘ running from lions never felt like such a mistake. ’’

‘‘ like a deer in the headlights i won’t know what hit me. ’’

‘‘ i won’t know what hit me. ’’

LULLABIES.

‘‘ make it a sweet, sweet goodbye. ’’

‘‘ make it a sweet, sweet goodbye. it could be for the last time and it’s not right. ’’

‘‘ it could be for the last time and it’s not right. ’’

‘‘ don’t let yourself get in over your head. ’’

‘‘ alone and far from home i’ll find you dead. ’’

‘‘ like a candle you burnt out. ’’

‘‘ spill the wax over the spaces left in place of angry words. ’’

‘‘ scream to be heard, like you needed any more attention. ’’

‘‘ like you needed any more attention. ’’

‘‘ break the door and disappear. ’’

‘‘ sing me to sleep. ’’

‘‘ sing me to sleep. i’ll see you in my dreams. ’’

‘‘ i’ll see you in my dreams. ’’

‘‘ i miss you. ’’

‘‘ i miss you. i’m so sorry. ’’

‘‘ i’m so sorry. ’’

‘‘ forever’s never seemed so long as when you’re not around. ’’

‘‘ it’s like a piece of me is missing. ’’

‘‘ i could have learned so much from you. ’’

‘‘ i could have learned so much from you, but what’s left now? ’’

‘‘ what’s left now? ’’

‘‘ don’t you realize you showed this family a world of pain? ’’

‘‘ can’t you see this should have been a happy ending? ’’

‘‘ you’ve taken so much with you. ’’

‘‘ you’ve taken so much with you, but left the worst with me. ’’

‘‘ you left the worst with me. ’’

[tunehummed]

AMÉLIE.  —  570 sentences from the original london cast recording of amélie the musical.  change pronouns as needed!

THE FLIGHT OF THE BLUE FLY.

‘‘ september 3rd, 1975: the moment a blue fly takes flight. ’’

‘‘ it passes a fruit stand and lands on a fig as the new owner’s taking a bite. ’’

‘‘ even before the fly lands on a girl, the girl’s getting sick in advance. ’’

‘‘ down on the street a man holds a receipt. he’s returning a ring to a store. ’’

‘‘ he’s returning a ring to a store. ’’

‘‘ a boy fills a box with his favorite glass marble, an old diecast car, and a comic and coins from the war. ’’

‘‘ high on the breeze near a flying trapeze, the fly meets a girl in midair. ’’

‘‘ and for one shining moment, it feels like there’s no one else there. ’’

‘‘ the girl thinks she sees the fly smiling. ’’

‘‘ is that fly actually smiling? ’’

‘‘ a girl leaves her boyfriend. ’’

‘‘ a boy finds a photo. ’’

‘‘ a man at the doctor is told he’ll go blind. ’’

‘‘ a promising poet rhymes ‘purple’ with – merde! ’’

‘‘ a man starts a painting then leaves it behind. ’’

‘‘ everyone is falling as the fly comes into view. ’’

‘‘ and everyone’s connected, though they may not know it’s true. ’’

‘‘ they form a trail of breadcrumbs, but what are they leading to? ’’

‘‘ everyone is falling as their lives play out unplanned. ’’

‘‘ and everyone’s connected, though they may not understand. ’’

‘‘ though they may not understand that falling feels like flying. ’’

‘‘ falling feels like flying till the moment that you land. ’’

WORLD’S BEST PAPA.

‘‘ always liked the idea of a daughter, but not so sure now that i’ve got one. ’’

‘‘ he likes his daughter in theory, but doesn’t really like it when he has to touch her. ’’

‘‘ world’s best papa. i used to see it on his coffee cup. ’’

‘‘ i used to see it on his coffee cup. ’’

‘‘ i used to see it on his coffee cup and it’s not just a phrase. ’’

‘‘ and it’s not just a phrase. ’’

‘‘ every thirty-one days he provided a monthly check up. ’’

‘‘ every time he came near i was sure he could feel my heart filling up full of love. ’’

‘‘ our daughter’s heart is racing. ’’

‘‘ i fear it might be broken. ’’

‘‘ she’s broken! ’’

‘‘ i worry that her heart cannot handle any stimulation. ’’

‘‘ what do we do? ’’

‘‘ we cut all recreation and teach her at home. ’’

‘‘ we can keep her heartbeat stable. ’’

‘‘ your school is the kitchen table. ’’

‘‘ no need to take the school bus. ’’

‘‘ just leave it to the two of us. ’’

‘‘ no germs or boys or bullies. ’’

‘‘ say hello to your new classmate. ’’

POST MORTEM.

‘‘ a service was held the next sunday at nine on a mild yet overcast day. ’’

‘‘ three neighbors were there plus a cousin from ten miles away. ’’

‘‘ mama was interred on the shelf. ’’

‘‘ salut papa, what’s that? ’’

‘‘ a mausoleum for your maman’s ashes. ’’

‘‘ a gnome? ’’

‘‘ maman hated it, so i will always think of her when i see it. ’’

‘‘ i will always think of her when i see it. ’’

‘‘ all that she knew was that times for dreamers were hard. ’’

‘‘ and so she packed up her baggage, and all of her bags, and some cash she had saved in a drawer. ’’

‘‘ she carried it straight out the door. ’’

‘‘ au revoir, papa! ’’

THE SOUND OF GOING ROUND IN CIRCLES.

‘‘ this is the sound of going round in circles. ’’

‘‘ in 48 hours, [full name]’s fate will take an unexpected turn. ’’

‘‘ in 48 hours, [full name]’s fate will take an unexpected turn, but at the moment she has no idea. ’’

‘‘ but at the moment she has no idea. ’’

‘‘ this is the sound of going around… ’’

‘‘ [name] used to work in the circus. ’’

‘‘ he’s written two dozen novels though he’s not sold a single word so far. ’’

‘‘ each day i’m in and out that door. ’’

‘‘ each day i’m in and out that door, around a circle that i went around the day before. ’’

‘‘ this is their favorite sound. ’’

‘‘ she had no feelings for [name], but he’s a hard man to convince. ’’

‘‘ they went on one date a year ago. ’’

‘‘ they went on one date a year ago and now he’s been here ever since. ’’

‘‘ now he’s been here ever since. ’’

‘‘ each day we’re in and out that door. ’’

‘‘ each day we’re in and out that door, around a circle that we went around the year before. ’’

‘‘ when she’s not throwing out her back, she’s selling chocolates and cigarettes. ’’

‘‘ she’s selling chocolates and cigarettes, waiting for her next asthma attack. ’’

‘‘ though every month she flies off again, somehow she always ends up here. ’’

‘‘ somehow she always ends up here. ’’

THE COMMUTE HOME.

‘‘ [name] has no boyfriend. ’’

‘‘ [name] has no boyfriend. she tried once or twice, but the results were a letdown. ’’

‘‘ she tried once or twice, but the results were a letdown. ’’

‘‘ those five years haven’t changed a thing. ’’

‘‘ [name] still escapes into solitude. ’’

‘‘ she walks home from work every night all alone. ’’

‘‘ she walks home from work every night all alone and nothing’s changed. ’’

‘‘ and nothing’s changed. ’’

‘‘ her neighbors all like her, but nobody knows her. ’’

‘‘ her neighbors all like her, but nobody knows her and nothing’s changed. ’’

‘‘ she likes taking teaspoons to crack crème brûlée. ’’

‘‘ she likes taking teaspoons to crack crème brûlée and likes to skip stones at st. martin canal. ’’

‘‘ while friends see the world, she stays home with their pets. ’’

‘‘ she’s gone on a few dates and had a few boyfriends, but nothing’s changed. ’’

‘‘ but nothing’s changed. ’’

‘‘ she likes to amuse herself. ’’

‘‘ she likes to amuse herself by asking questions like how many couples in paris are having an orgasm right at this moment? ’’

‘‘ how many couples in paris are having an orgasm right at this moment? ’’

‘‘ but later this evening her life will change. ’’

‘‘ later this evening her life will… change. ’’

WHEN THE BOOTH GOES BRIGHT.

‘‘ what do you see when the booth goes bright in the blinding light when the flash tries to find you? ’’

‘‘ every photo of every face is a time and place that you leave behind. ’’

‘‘ there’s the girl you were. ’’

‘‘ there’s your trip abroad. ’’

‘‘ there’s your father’s smile. ’’

‘‘ there’s the face of god. ’’

‘‘ there is everything that you were and still want to be. ’’

‘‘ what do you see when the booth goes bright? ’’

‘‘ there’s the girl from the factory and she’s on your knee, though you’ve known her a week. ’’

‘‘ though you’ve known her a week and you’re both so shy. ’’

‘‘ and you’re both so shy, but she makes you laugh. ’’

‘‘ but she makes you laugh in that photograph where she kisses your cheek. ’’

‘‘ there’s when she said ‘yes.’ there’s the next ten years. there’s the loneliness when she disappears. ’’

‘‘ there’s the loneliness when she disappears. ’’

‘‘ there’s the face that you still remember, though no longer know. ’’

‘‘ where do you go? ’’

‘‘ what happens when the booth goes bright? ’’

‘‘ where do you go when you’re out of view? ’’

‘‘ what’s the use in trying to hide? ’’

‘‘ what’s the use in trying to hide or tearing yourself in two? ’’

‘‘ when you leave yourself behind, every piece becomes another clue. ’’

‘‘ every piece becomes another clue. ’’

‘‘ pull the curtain tight and adjust the seat. ’’

‘‘ pull the curtain tight and adjust the seat. lean into the light. don’t forget to breathe. ’’

‘‘ lean into the light. don’t forget to breathe. ’’

‘‘ and if someday your travels should bring you to me, i’ll see what you see. ’’

‘‘ i’ll see what you see. ’’

‘‘ i’ll see what you see when the booth goes bright. ’’

THE BOTTLE DROPS.

‘‘ her fingers slip. ’’

‘‘ her fingers slip. the bottle drops. ’’

‘‘ the bottle drops. ’’

‘‘ and falling in slow motion, the bottle hits. ’’

‘‘ the bottle hits. ’’

‘‘ the bottle hits. the stopper rolls. ’’

‘‘ the stopper rolls across the bedroom floor. ’’

‘‘ and with a click, it’s like a tiny trap door opens. ’’

‘‘ slowly crack the treasure open. ’’

‘‘ a treasure waiting to be found. ’’

‘‘ i am howard carter stepping into tutankhamun's tomb. ’’

‘‘ a treasure chest… that a small boy had hidden forty years ago. ’’

‘‘ on august 31st, at 4 am in the morning, [name] has a dazzling idea. ’’

‘‘ [name] has a dazzling idea. ’’

‘‘ give back the box. ’’

‘‘ wherever the owner was, she would find him and return his childhood. ’’

‘‘ i have to try. ’’

‘‘ should he be moved by this, she will start interfering in other people’s lives. ’’

‘‘ if i did i could be like lady di. ’’

‘‘ tough luck. ’’

GIRL WITH THE GLASS.

‘‘ i’d shake your hand, but mine would break. ’’

‘‘ i’d shake your hand, but mine would break. that’s why i wear these gloves. ’’

‘‘ that’s why i wear these gloves. ’’

‘‘ why is it that someone so young and so full of life spends every night alone at her window? ’’

‘‘ unless her friends are all dwarves and i can’t see them below the windowsill? ’’

‘‘ are you an artist? ’’

‘‘ everyday i come to a canvas with a palette and brush and i ask myself the same question. ’’

‘‘ i ask myself the same question. ’’

‘‘ every year i get a bit closer. ’’

‘‘ every year i get a bit closer as i work my way to the center. ’’

‘‘ but in the end it always comes down to her. ’’

‘‘ renoir’s the luncheon of the boating party. i’ve been painting it for twenty years. ’’

‘‘ i’ve been painting it for twenty years. ’’

‘‘ the hardest part is the looks. ’’

‘‘ the hardest part is the looks. sometimes i think they deliberately change expression behind my back. ’’

‘‘ sometimes i think they deliberately change expression behind my back. ’’

‘‘ i can capture each face, every tender embrace, except for the girl with the glass. ’’

‘‘ a game of love that anyone can play. ’’

‘‘ see they laugh and they try to catch each other’s eye. ’’

‘‘ see they laugh and they try to catch each other’s eye, but the girl with the glass looks away. ’’

‘‘ the girl with the glass looks away. ’’

‘‘ i wonder what does she see. ’’

‘‘ just a young girl who doesn’t belong to anywhere or anyone. ’’

‘‘ i don’t know. she looks happy to me. ’’

‘‘ time ticks by. ’’

‘‘ time ticks by. you look away and twenty years can pass. ’’

‘‘ you look away and twenty years can pass. ’’

‘‘ twenty years can pass with a brush in your hand, trying to understand what is wrong with the girl with the glass. ’’

‘‘ maybe she’s just different. ’’

‘‘ maybe when she was little, she didn’t get to play with other children. ’’

‘‘ isn’t it about time she started? ’’

‘‘ maybe this whole soiree is a party she’s thrown. ’’

‘‘ maybe she’s reunited that dog with its owner. ’’

‘‘ maybe she whispered that he’s into him. ’’

‘‘ just a young girl who doesn’t belong to anywhere. ’’

HOW TO TELL TIME.

‘‘ i know that lock. ’’

‘‘ i forgot my hiding spot. ’’

‘‘ unlock the box. ’’

‘‘ i’m seven in the schoolyard. ’’

‘‘ i hear my mother’s voice. ’’

‘‘ i hear my mother’s voice. she’s calling from the hall. ’’

‘‘ she’s calling from the hall. ’’

‘‘ here’s how to tell time. ’’

TOUR DE FRANCE.

‘‘ sir, may i lend a hand? ’’

‘‘ may i take your cane? ’’

‘‘ careful of the curb, here we go! ’’

‘‘ what are you doing? this is my corner! ’’

‘‘ put away your cup. ’’

‘‘ listen to the squeak of the bakery cart leaving a trail of breadcrumbs. ’’

‘‘ do you hear the laugh coming from the priest? ’’

‘‘ do you hear the laugh coming from the priest? he has crinkly eyes. ’’

‘‘ he has crinkly eyes. ’’

‘‘ who are you? ’’

‘‘ there’s a display that is three melon slices deep. ’’

‘‘ i should take you back now. ’’

‘‘ no, that’s – i can stay a little. ’’

‘‘ what was that? ’’

‘‘ an envelope opens. ’’

‘‘ a filament flashes, flickers, and dies. ’’

‘‘ and there goes a hat thrown in the air. ’’

‘‘ i can feel every stranger in paris just waiting to collide. ’’

‘‘ how a heart can pull like a moon as we circle each other then crashing together. ’’

‘‘ we end up open wide. ’’

‘‘ wait. tell me your name! ’’

‘‘ au revoir! ’’

‘‘ au revoir, merci! ’’

‘‘ i can see everything clearly now from here. ’’

GOODBYE, AMÉLIE.

‘‘ goodbye, girl. ’’

‘‘ [name], i give you your wings. ’’

‘‘ fly so free and join the angel choir, girl. ’’

‘‘ [name], beats me why you had to bid this planet adieu. ’’

‘‘ let me be the first to say merci, girl. ’’

‘‘ let me be the first to say merci, girl. that means thank you. ’’

‘‘ that means thank you. ’’

‘‘ we’re an ocean of rowboats you decided to save. ’’

‘‘ we’re an ocean of rowboats you decided to save, lifting us to the shoreline like a wave. ’’

‘‘ when your harp and your halo hit the sky, look down. ’’

‘‘ look down, we’ll be waving goodbye. ’’

‘‘ we’ll be waving goodbye. ’’

‘‘ you’re like a thousand zippos. no! a zillion zippos. ’’

‘‘ where will we go? ’’

‘‘ where will we go? who will appease us? ’’

‘‘ who will appease us? ’’

‘‘ you’re nicer than oprah, bigger than jesus. ’’

‘‘ we shout from the hills. ’’

‘‘ we shout from the hills. we shout from a mesa. ’’

‘‘ we shout from a mesa. ’’

‘‘ you’re half santa claus, half mother teresa. ’’

‘‘ she cared for the elders and nursed the children. ’’

‘‘ she separated my recyclable waste. ’’

‘‘ she stood in the soup kitchen at 3:30 am and defused bombs in the afternoon. ’’

‘‘ goodbye, [full name]. ’’

‘‘ goodbye, [full name]. i’ll never love anyone as much as i loved you! ’’

‘‘ i’ll never love anyone as much as i loved you! ’’

‘‘ you get a car and you get a car! ’’

‘‘ i’ve got the high notes and i’m singing with the choir. ’’

‘‘ you’re perfect and clever and sugar and lightning. ’’

HALF ASLEEP.

‘‘ i want to tell you i’ve watched the waves that wake the sea, the lightning that wakes up the ground. ’’

‘‘ and my heart has been half asleep inside of me. ’’

‘‘ and my heart has been half asleep inside of me. i’d wake up if you came around. ’’

‘‘ i’d wake up if you came around. ’’

‘‘ i want to tell you i’ve watched the moon that trips the tide, the shadows that trip up the tree. ’’

‘‘ now i’m wearing a blindfold, my shoe lace untied. ’’

‘‘ now i’m wearing a blindfold, my shoe lace untied, but i’d steady with you next to me. ’’

‘‘ i’d steady with you next to me. ’’

‘‘ i’ve been half asleep all of my life. ’’

‘‘ i’ve been half asleep all of my life, lost in the dark on some perilous night. ’’

‘‘ is that you or some beautiful light finally coming around? ’’

‘‘ now my heart has been half asleep all of my life. ’’

‘‘ now my heart has been half asleep all of my life. i’d wake up if you came around. ’’

BACKYARD.

‘‘ i washed and folded all of your laundry. ’’

‘‘ i fixed that sink with the leak. ’’

‘‘ i left you some meals in the freezer, enough to last you a week. ’’

‘‘ so maybe when the weekend is nicer and you have a day that is free… papa, you should come and visit me. ’’

‘‘ you should come and visit me. ’’

‘‘ oh no, i can’t leave my friend here alone. ’’

‘‘ the gnome is keeping you hostage? ’’

‘‘ a garden gnome’s life isn’t easy. ’’

‘‘ a garden gnome’s life isn’t easy. his terra cotta rots in the turf. ’’

‘‘ once i went away for the weekend. ’’

‘‘ some neighbors painted him like a smurf. ’’

‘‘ i need to be here to protect him. ’’

‘‘ i’m kinda like his bodyguard. ’’

‘‘ i’m better off in my backyard. ’’

SISTER’S PICKLE.

‘‘ i could stay right here and give back the boy his book. ’’

‘‘ but if i stay right here, he’ll think that i’m a nun and i am not a nun. ’’

‘‘ he’ll think that i’m chaste. ’’

‘‘ he’ll think that i’m chaste and i’m not that chaste. ’’

‘‘ i’m not that chaste. ’’

‘‘ or i could run away. ’’

‘‘ or i could run away, leave his book on the shelf by the lube and the lingerie. ’’

‘‘ but that means it’s over, whatever this is. ’’

‘‘ but that means it’s over, whatever this is, and i really think i should wait though it’s hard to articulate why. ’’

‘‘ i really think i should wait though it’s hard to articulate why. ’’

‘‘ or i could stay right here and shake this habit off. ’’

‘‘ just stay right here and say hello and say my name. ’’

‘‘ say here’s your book and what a place and hey, let’s keep in touch. ’’

‘‘ hey, let’s keep in touch. ’’

‘‘ but then i’ve said too much. ’’

‘‘ it’s hard to go unseen. ’’

‘‘ it’s hard to go unseen, at least in this instance with so little distance between. ’’

‘‘ me and the boy and his book, and the shop and the… wow. ’’

‘‘ i take a step to get out but my feet forget how. ’’

‘‘ now it’s me! ’’

‘‘ just me against a door. ’’

‘‘ this isn’t what i thought. ’’

‘‘ this isn’t what i thought, although i think i want some more. ’’

‘‘ although i think i want some more. ’’

‘‘ although i think i want some more, but not right now! ’’

‘‘ but not right now! ’’

‘‘ now i need to go. ’’

‘‘ i’m not finished with the boy, i mean the book. ’’

‘‘ i’m not finished with the boy, i mean the book. so i will hold him – hold it till tomorrow. ’’

‘‘ so i will hold him – hold it till tomorrow. ’’

HALFWAY.

‘‘ in my mother’s schoolhouse, i would sit at the kitchen table and listen to her teach geometry. ’’

‘‘ she taught me about distance. ’’

‘‘ she taught a lesson about a boat that is sailing the sea trying to get from point a to b. ’’

‘‘ so the little boat’s traveling at full sail and it’s trying to reach the shore. ’’

‘‘ but whenever the boat gets halfway there, there is always halfway more. ’’

‘‘ there is always halfway more. ’’

‘‘ you take half of half and half of that and on and on and so. ’’

‘‘ in my mother’s schoolhouse, there was always halfway to go. ’’

‘‘ at the kitchen table, i once folded a paper boat and floated it down the table top, halfway to my mother. ’’

‘‘ it sailed into her coffee cup where she crumpled it up, threw it away, told me to stop. ’’

‘‘ the little boat trying to get to her, but the table was deep and wide. ’’

‘‘ the lesson i learned from my mother was to see the great divide. ’’

‘‘ at the kitchen table, there was always halfway to go. ’’

‘‘ little boat, big ocean. ’’

‘‘ i’m the girl with the copper spyglass who prays that today she will spot her shore. ’’

‘‘ all at once a lighthouse. ’’

‘‘ all at once through the copper spyglass, a light telling me to lean in on the oar. ’’

‘‘ i start to row. ’’

‘‘ but before i can get anywhere, from point a to point b, i’m at that kitchen table. ’’

‘‘ i’m at that kitchen table where i’ll always be at sea. ’’

‘‘ take half of half and half of that, no matter where i row. ’’

‘‘ there is always halfway to go. ’’

WINDOW SEAT.

‘‘ the world grows clear. ’’

‘‘ and i can see everything from here. ’’

‘‘ looking down on the world below. ’’

‘‘ holding patterns in the sky. ’’

‘‘ holding you just to say goodbye. ’’

‘‘ from where i sit i see the pilot. ’’

THIN AIR.

‘‘ you sent me a photo that i recognize. ’’

‘‘ the frame tries to hide you just like a disguise. ’’

‘‘ the frame tries to hide you just like a disguise, but i know that face from the look in your eyes. ’’

‘‘ but i know that face from the look in your eyes. ’’

‘‘ but i know that face from the look in your eyes, so i’m reaching out to you. ’’

‘‘ so i’m reaching out to you. ’’

‘‘ you left me a riddle i don’t understand. ’’

‘‘ you left me a riddle i don’t understand, so i’ll slip slips of paper into every hand. ’’

‘‘ and no, i’m not asking to come see my band. ’’

‘‘ i’m reaching out to you. ’’

‘‘ so who are you now? ’’

‘‘ so who are you now when all you have in thin air around you? ’’

‘‘ it’s easy to vanish when no one’s around. ’’

‘‘ it’s easy to vanish when no one’s around; your footsteps fall silent as snow on the ground. ’’

‘‘ and i may be hammered, but i can hear my heart pound. ’’

‘‘ i can hear my heart pound. ’’

‘‘ i can hear my heart pound and it’s reaching out to you. ’’

‘‘ so who are you now if all you have is thin air around you? ’’

‘‘ it’s too easy to disappear these days. ’’

‘‘ there you go now, but nobody sees it. ’’

‘‘ you leave a photo behind where you want to be. ’’

‘‘ but now you’re so close i swear i can feel you. ’’

‘‘ no more stories, just show me the real you. ’’

‘‘ just show me the real you and i promise i’ll let you see the real me. ’’

‘‘ i promise i’ll let you see the real me. ’’

‘‘ so who are you now when all i see is a face that hides away love until you’re alone. ’’

‘‘ you’re alone in a place you hide away love. ’’

‘‘ you’re alone with thin air around you. ’’

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE GNOME.

‘‘ greetings from the great wall of china! ’’

‘‘ here’s another from the u.s. ’’

‘‘ sending lots of love from las vegas! ’’

‘‘ every week a new address. ’’

‘‘ cheerio from buckingham palace! ’’

‘‘ i admit he looks good as a guard. ’’

‘‘ i admit he looks good as a guard, but i want him back in my backyard. ’’

‘‘ but i want him back in my backyard. ’’

‘‘ rio de janeiro’s braziliant! ’’

‘‘ do you see that crack in his clay? ’’

‘‘ here today and gone to maui! ’’

‘‘ his black paint’s fading to grey. ’’

‘‘ traveling the world is tremendous! ’’

‘‘ traveling the world is tremendous, but for a garden gnome it’s gotta be hard. ’’

‘‘ but for a garden gnome it’s gotta be hard and i just want him back in my backyard. ’’

‘‘ put on my pointy shoes and board another plane. ’’

‘‘ the stewardesses they always wonder, doesn’t matter where i roam. ’’

‘‘ she asks, ‘are you one of santa’s elves?’ ’’

‘‘ she asks, ‘are you one of santa’s elves?’ i say, ‘ma’am, i am a gnome!’ ’’

‘‘ ma’am, i am a gnome! ’’

‘‘ i just want him back in my backyard. ’’

‘‘ i just want him back where he belongs. ’’

‘‘ back where nothing moves. ’’

‘‘ back before these feelings made me feel things. ’’

‘‘ papa, it’s really good to see you. ’’

‘‘ here’s a glass of cognac. take a sip. ’’

‘‘ i know that change isn’t easy. ’’

‘‘ i’m glad that you made the trip. ’’

‘‘ why don’t you look at the menu? ’’

‘‘ meet a few of my friends while you can. ’’

‘‘ you’d like the white wine and mussels. ’’

‘‘ papa, this is [name]. she worked in the circus. ’’

TIMES ARE HARD FOR DREAMERS.

‘‘ they say times are hard for dreamers. ’’

‘‘ they say times are hard for dreamers, but they won’t be hard for me. ’’

‘‘ but they won’t be hard for me. ’’

‘‘ but they won’t be hard for me when all my dreams have gone as planned. ’’

‘‘ i can see who’s falling down and though they do not see me, i am reaching out my hand. ’’

‘‘ i am reaching out my hand. ’’

‘‘ i see myself in every face that’s racing past. ’’

‘‘ on the train in paris, half a mile from sacré-cœur, the city’s waking up for me. ’’

‘‘ the city’s waking up for me. ’’

‘‘ i can see what each of them has lost or locked inside. ’’

‘‘ i can see what each of them has lost or locked inside and suddenly i hold a key. ’’

‘‘ suddenly i hold a key. ’’

‘‘ i turn the lock and disappear. ’’

‘‘ all it takes is one more step and then i’m here. ’’

‘‘ just me behind the door. ’’

‘‘ it isn’t what i have, it’s only what i have in store that matters now. ’’

‘‘ the past can only fade. ’’

‘‘ everything i’ll ever need is here. ’’

‘‘ this is how my world gets made. ’’

‘‘ they say times are hard for dreamers and who knows, maybe they are. ’’

‘‘ people seem stuck or lost at sea. ’’

‘‘ i might be a dreamer, but it’s gotten me this far. ’’

‘‘ it’s gotten me this far. ’’

‘‘ it’s gotten me this far and that is far enough for me. ’’

‘‘ that is far enough for me. ’’

‘‘ look out my window. ’’

‘‘ there’s a view of other windows. ’’

‘‘ it isn’t where i am, it’s only where i go from here. ’’

‘‘ what matters now is i am not afraid. ’’

‘‘ as everything i’ll ever need appears, this is how my world gets made. ’’

BLUE ARROW SUITE.

‘‘ 5 pm. montmartre carousel. bring 5 francs. ’’

‘‘ follow the blue arrows, mr. [last name]. ’’

‘‘ there on the hill, there sits a great cathedral where i’ve left a trail. ’’

‘‘ i’ve left a trail, but it only goes so far. ’’

‘‘ here i can keep him moving forward and keep things as they were. ’’

‘‘ halfway to love and just enough to sacré-cœur. ’’

‘‘ i know my heart is speaking with a murmur. ’’

‘‘ i know my heart is speaking with a murmur, making a sound that only i can hear. ’’

‘‘ all i can manage is a whisper of this heartbeat trapped inside. ’’

‘‘ here in this place, grant me the grace to be amplified. ’’

‘‘ the secret to life is to leave a trail of breadcrumbs. ’’

‘‘ if i lose my way, i can always turn around. ’’

‘‘ so i’ll keep one eye on the window and one foot out the door. ’’

‘‘ wait! stay there! ’’

‘‘ stay. put. ’’

‘‘ i can stay right here. ’’

‘‘ i can stay right here. all i have to do is stay. ’’

‘‘ all i have to do is stay. ’’

‘‘ if i stay right here, maybe i can solve this lifelong problem. ’’

‘‘ maybe i can solve this lifelong problem. ’’

‘‘ all i have to do right now is stay. ’’

‘‘ here he comes! screw that! run away! ’’

THE LATE NINO QUINCAMPOIX.

‘‘ it’s exactly 2 pm. ’’

‘‘ it’s exactly 2 pm. no sign of [name]. ’’

‘‘ no sign of [name]. ’’

‘‘ [name] is late. ’’

‘‘ his watch has probably stopped. ’’

‘‘ his watch has probably stopped. and if his watch has stopped, he had to get it fixed. ’’

‘‘ and if his watch has stopped, he had to get it fixed. ’’

‘‘ lost in thought, [name]’s halfway ‘cross the railroad tracks the instant that the train impacts. ’’

‘‘ current flows through [name]’s arteries, which stops his heart while train cars tear his limbs apart. ’’

‘‘ [name] survives. they even find his watch. ’’

‘‘ she gets him to walk. she bathes him with a sponge. ’’

‘‘ she helps him to his knee when he proposes. ’’

‘‘ who has time for a boy like that? ’’

‘‘ who has time for a boy like that? for a boy who doesn’t know how to tell time. ’’

‘‘ a boy who doesn’t know how to tell time. ’’

A BETTER HAIRCUT.

‘‘ i was working in the circus with my boyfriend. ’’

‘‘ i’d fly off and he’d always catch me. ’’

‘‘ everything was going perfect in the circus, until the day he dropped me. ’’

‘‘ she broke her leg in seven places. ’’

‘‘ you know our girl’s a fragile egg. ’’

‘‘ you know our girl’s a fragile egg. don’t you break her heart or break her leg. ’’

‘‘ don’t you break her heart or break her leg. ’’

‘‘ i met a plumber on the metro with a toolbelt. ’’

‘‘ i met a plumber on the metro with a toolbelt. he was kinda bald but good in bed. ’’

‘‘ he was kinda bald but good in bed. ’’

‘‘ he was kinda bald but good in bed and fixed my leaky radiator. ’’

‘‘ so you go out on a first date. ’’

‘‘ so you go out on a first date, then it’s too late when you try to leave. ’’

‘‘ then it’s too late when you try to leave. ’’

‘‘ the jealousy and crazy stalking all come later. ’’

‘‘ it seems that every single guy that strolls by doesn’t stop until he controls my every thought and every move. ’’

‘‘ are you just the same? ’’

‘‘ are you just the same or can you prove that you are a lover for the ages? ’’

‘‘ can you prove that you are a lover for the ages? ’’

‘‘ love is just another diagnosis. ’’

‘‘ love is just another diagnosis like bacterial vaginosis. ’’

‘‘ love is just another diagnosis like bacterial vaginosis. once you’re in it, you’re committed to everything that you’ve transmitted. ’’

‘‘ once you’re in it, you’re committed to everything that you’ve transmitted. ’’

‘‘ the mother of all diseases that brings the mightiest to their knees is love. ’’

‘‘ you might be a lover for the ages. ’’

‘‘ you might be a lover for the ages, but can you prove that you are not highly contagious? ’’

‘‘ can you prove that you are not highly contagious? ’’

‘‘ there’s no promises that i can give you. ’’

‘‘ there’s no guarantee that we will live to eighty without breaking up. ’’

‘‘ there’s no guarantee that we will live to eighty without breaking up or making each other miserable. ’’

‘‘ you know i think she understands me. ’’

‘‘ i don’t know why she would. ’’

‘‘ i understand she may not even feel the same. ’’

‘‘ i understand she may not even feel the same and i don’t even know her name. ’’

‘‘ i don’t even know her name. ’’

‘‘ write down the address. ’’

‘‘ she’s not in the bathroom, i lied. ’’

‘‘ she’s probably waiting for you. ’’

‘‘ there you go. all good now. enjoy. ’’

‘‘ all the while, while love infects us, the side effect is that love connects us. ’’

STAY.

‘‘ stay where you are. ’’

‘‘ stay where you are. don’t come too close. ’’

‘‘ don’t come too close. ’’

‘‘ don’t come too close and don’t go too far. ’’

‘‘ don’t go too far. ’’

‘‘ stay where you are. don’t come too close and don’t go too far. ’’

‘‘ i’ll make you count to one hundred so i have a good chance to hide. ’’

‘‘ don’t expect me to play fair. ’’

‘‘ move in, i’ll move even deeper inside. ’’

‘‘ i like you right there. ’’

‘‘ your photographs. ’’

‘‘ your photographs, so many stories torn in half. ’’

‘‘ so many stories torn in half. ’’

‘‘ tape up the pieces and here we are, back again, frozen in place, feeling and looking the same. ’’

‘‘ everyone knows that it’s easy to smile safe in a frame. ’’

‘‘ stay. ’’

‘‘ i hear you coming. ’’

‘‘ i hear you coming. what can i do to drown out this drumming? ’’

‘‘ what can i do to drown out this drumming? ’’

‘‘ no turning back now that you took the breadcrumbs i left as a guide. ’’

‘‘ i like you right there. stay. ’’

‘‘ stay. stay where you are. ’’

‘‘ stay where you are. ’’

‘‘ stay where you are, safe in a frame. ’’

‘‘ try to move closer, you’ll only get halfway. ’’

‘‘ you’ll only get halfway. ’’

‘‘ pin down your heart. ’’

‘‘ pin down your heart. put out the flame. ’’

‘‘ put out the flame. ’’

‘‘ don’t come any closer, but don’t move away. ’’

HALFWAY (REPRISE).

‘‘ show me how to see you. ’’

‘‘ show me how to see you without using a copper spyglass or hiding behind a window frame. ’’

‘‘ show me how to reach you. ’’

‘‘ show me how to reach you without following crumbs or arrows or wearing a costume or playing a game. ’’

‘‘ you’re too far away. ’’

‘‘ there is one way of solving your paradox. ’’

‘‘ there is one way of solving your paradox, but i have to do more than stay. ’’

‘‘ i have to do more than stay. ’’

‘‘ if you know that you’re always halfway there, i can meet you there halfway. ’’

‘‘ i can meet you there halfway. ’’

‘‘ i can take a step. ’’

‘‘ i take a step. ’’

‘‘ so on and on and so. ’’

‘‘ everyone is falling as their lives come into view. ’’

‘‘ we form a trail of breadcrumbs. ’’

‘‘ we form a trail of breadcrumbs, but what are we leading to? ’’

‘‘ what are we leading to? ’’

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

‘‘ where do we go from here? ’’

‘‘ where do we go from here now that you are standing here with me? ’’

‘‘ after all there’s more to life than holding you. ’’

‘‘ what’s gonna happen? ’’

‘‘ i don’t know what’s gonna happen when we go from here. ’’

‘‘ where do we go from here now that we are finally side by side? ’’

‘‘ after all there’s more to life than we can see. ’’

‘‘ will there be troubles? ’’

‘‘ i don’t know. ’’

‘‘ will you be with me? ’’

‘‘ i hope so. ’’

‘‘ will there be time to keep on dreaming once this dream is over? ’’

‘‘ what happens when you’re out of view? ’’

‘‘ what happens when you can’t hold on? ’’

‘‘ what happens when you can’t hold on or when i can’t hold on to you? ’’

‘‘ what happens when tomorrow comes? ’’

‘‘ what happens when tomorrow comes and there’s nothing that we can do? ’’

‘‘ just pull the curtain tight and adjust the seat. ’’

‘‘ just pull the curtain tight and adjust the seat. lean into the light and hold me. ’’

‘‘ lean into the light and hold me. ’’

‘‘ but whatever happens, here we go. ’’

‘‘ what’s gonna happen and where will we go from here? ’’

[tunehummed]

OVERBOARD. — 140 sentences from polygon’s board game series overboard, specifically episodes 12 and 13 where they play coup, anomia, and skull! change pronouns as needed.

COUP.

‘‘ ten minutes is not late. that's on time! ’’

‘‘ and we're here in… space? ’’

‘‘ the space is different from space. ’’

‘‘ so let's get machiavellian. ’’

‘‘ cool, cool, cool, cool. ’’

‘‘ so we've learned nothing. ’’

‘‘ like most politics, some stuff has happened and we're not quite sure what it was. ’’

‘‘ i want the money! ’’

‘‘ in what way? ’’

‘‘ oh, it's my turn! ’’

‘‘ that was a perfect turn of phrase. ’’

‘‘ that's the coward’s way. ’’

‘‘ the pussy’s option! ’’

‘‘ please no! please no! ’’

‘‘ i thought we were going hard! ’’

‘‘ you’ll pay for these transgressions. ’’

‘‘ i'm a man of my word. ’’

‘‘ i'm a man of my word. in fact, i'm TWO men of my word. ’’

‘‘ in fact, i'm TWO men of my word. ’’

‘‘ can i have that back? i’m sorry. ’’

‘‘ wow, so you’re all fucking lying! ’’

‘‘ i could make up anything. ’’

‘‘ this is a classic romance novel conundrum. ’’

‘‘ i know one of these gentlemen is lying. ’’

‘‘ we're not board game professionals like [name]. ’’

‘‘ there's a lot of parallel realities i'm trying to balance in my mind right now. ’’

‘‘ it is gross. i’m sorry. i didn't like saying it. ’’

‘‘ yes, i'm choosing to call you on your shit. ’’

‘‘ you're fighting awfully hard for somebody. ’’

‘‘ is that a direct threat? ’’

‘‘ but tell us how you really feel, [name]. ’’

‘‘ well, you've made a powerful enemy. ’’

‘‘ you're a COWARD, [full name]! ’’

‘‘ i would never expect a favor from someone who i'm in direct competition with. ’’

‘‘ so my dear ally, [full name], i’d like to turn it over to you. ’’

‘‘ however, if you would like me to destroy [name], i’d be happy to do that. ’’

‘‘ however, if you would like me to destroy [name], i’d be happy to do that. but i want to involve you in my decision making. ’’

‘‘ but i want to involve you in my decision making. ’’

‘‘ this is a weird energy. ’’

‘‘ oh, because you resent me, that's why. ’’

‘‘ you're saying i should call [name] on his shit? what if somebody else took that risk? ’’

‘‘ i don't believe it! show me the proof! ’’

‘‘ perhaps this is where my goose is finally cooked… or perhaps not. ’’

‘‘ you turned on me. you turned on me! ’’

‘‘ i'll stay at the table and just watch as this burns. ’’

‘‘ a whole deep, deep pile of mess. ʼ

‘‘ and [name] is just a wildcard in my opinion, in most things. ’’

‘‘ i'm not acting according to any logic. i only have loyalty towards [name]. that's all i have. nothing else. ’’

‘‘ that's great. you could do way worse. ’’

‘‘ everyone sings the song of the victim after their schemes have been thwarted! ’’

‘‘ don't listen to his lies. ’’

‘‘ don't listen to anything he says right now! ’’

‘‘ i’ll do fucking anything. ’’

‘‘ that was effective communication. ’’

‘‘ that's just toxic masculinity, baby! ’’

‘‘ oh, this is insufferable! ’’

‘‘ tfw someone has you dead to rights. ’’

‘‘ we're all stuck in a no money situation at the moment. ’’

‘‘ you remember what you did to me, right? ’’

‘‘ fairweather friends united only by their hatred for a shared enemy. ’’

‘‘ seems the monkey’s hand is caught in the vase. ’’

‘‘ alright, this fucking continental bullshit! ’’

‘‘ you say that now, but we'll see. ’’

‘‘ no one is sorry for what they've done to me. ’’

‘‘ here's the thing, i WILL win that! ’’

‘‘ i can't believe how perfectly this is happening. ’’

‘‘ pull the trigger, piglet! ’’

‘‘ that's the problem with being honest! ’’

‘‘ that was expertly, expertly done. ’’

ANOMIA.

‘‘ so let's get to the yelling. ’’

‘‘ okay, i just gotta remember all these things. ’’

‘‘ oh no. panic. ’’

‘‘ this is also a lying game! ’’

‘‘ this is the worst thing. ’’

‘‘ women helping women, that's what that was. ’’

‘‘ take it! take it! take it! ’’

‘‘ this is a nightmare. ’’

‘‘ i walked so you could run. ’’

‘‘ now that's women helping women. ’’

‘‘ thank you, mom! ’’

‘‘ the hell is a marsupial? ’’

‘‘ fair. well-defined. ’’

‘‘ fuck, FUCK! ’’

‘‘ if you go deep into lore, you can't prove there's not a star wars character called vango bango. ’’

‘‘ if you give a thousand monkeys a thousand typewriters and tell them to write star wars novels, one of them is going to write one about vango bango. ’’

‘‘ i’m too frail for this. ’’

‘‘ i'm just not ready to do a thing right now. ’’

‘‘ i'm panicking about edible plants. ’’

‘‘ [name], you're gonna die. ’’

‘‘ the standard is not can it go in your body! ’’

ʻ i can eat it, i just won't survive it! ’’

ʻ edible is not a word meaning a challenge. ’’

ʻ fucking anything is edible if you don’t quit! ’’

ʻ say that at my funeral. ’’

ʻ i feel like this is like a rorschach test for words. ’’

ʻ let’s be on a really safe footing. ’’

ʻ every name is unisex, alright? fuck you, gender norms. ’’

ʻ i’m getting lightheaded. ’’

ʻ goddamn, this is pathetic. ’’

ʻ i would name any child please no. ’’

ʻ why is [name] talking in a scottish accent all of a sudden? ’’

ʻ why is [name] talking in a scottish accent all of a sudden? you know what, actually, there's too much going on and not enough time to adequately probe this question. ’’

ʻ you know what, actually, there's too much going on and not enough time to adequately probe this question. ’’

ʻ i didn't wanna sound judgy, so i didn't wanna say anything. ’’

‘‘ that's some fast guns there, guys. ’’

SKULL.

‘‘ but you're not going to win without taking a few risks. ’’

‘‘ it's time to put up or shut up. ’’

‘‘ you definitely don't want to be stuck with it. ’’

‘‘ too rich for my blood. ’’

‘‘ pass. ’’

‘‘ oh, i don't like that now. ’’

‘‘ you played me like a fiddle, [last name]! ’’

‘‘ that was so coquettish. ’’

‘‘ he's playing the himbo of the team. ’’

‘‘ first time i've ever been described as a himbo. ’’

‘‘ starting to feel our oats here. whatever that means. ’’

‘‘ okay. that's fine. i got you. ’’

‘‘ death herself over here. ’’

‘‘ this stew is a simmerin’. ’’

‘‘ i should know what i'm doing. ’’

‘‘ shit. fuck me. ’’

‘‘ fuck me, i’m an idiot. ’’

‘‘ oh, i don't like that. i don't like that at all. ’’

‘‘ sorry, i didn't know if my body language expressed how i felt. ’’

‘‘ i'm just going to go this way. ’’

‘‘ good luck, buddy. ’’

‘‘ loved your energy though, going into that real strong. ’’

‘‘ face death and walk backwards into hell. ’’

‘‘ i think you've got this. ’’

‘‘ i plan on never winning. ’’

‘‘ maybe i should try a different strategy. ’’

‘‘ i mean. it's working for somebody. ’’

‘‘ AHHHHHHHHHHHH! ’’

‘‘ i started hard, i started high, and i was gonna get screwed over so badly. ’’

‘‘ if only they all knew [name] was a safe bet… ’’

‘‘ absolutely brutal. you hate to see it, folks! ’’

‘‘ are you gonna fuckin’’ do it? ’’

‘‘ holy shit. i can't count. ’’

‘‘ oh my god! do you believe in miracles? ’’

‘‘ who do you think you are? ’’

[tunehummed]

C A L M.  —  320 sentences from 5 seconds of summer’s 2020 album!  change pronouns as needed.  trigger warnings for mentions/discussion of substance abuse, emotional abuse, and toxic relationships.  kill my time added 5/29/21.

RED DESERT.

‘‘ red desert, heal our blues. ’’

‘‘ i’d dive deeper for you. ’’

‘‘ what a blessing to feel your love. ’’

‘‘ twilight moments with you. ’’

‘‘ i've been asleep so long. ’’

‘‘ i'm so far away. ’’

‘‘ visions i see are strong, i hear what they say. ’’

‘‘ won't you leave all your fears at the edge of the world? ’’

‘‘ i'll tell you again like i told you before. ’’

‘‘ i've been asleep so long, wasting away. ’’

‘‘ tell me, would you pack up all your bags? ’’

‘‘ would you pack up all your bags, stay true to north? ’’

‘‘ you're the only one i’d do this for. ’’

‘‘ it doesn't take too long to heal and replace. ’’

‘‘ the demons we're running from, they're begging to stay. ’’

NO SHAME.

‘‘ with the gun in your hand pointing my direction, giving me affection. ’’

‘‘ love is fatal. ’’

‘‘ love is fatal. won't you give it a chance? ’’

‘‘ won't you give it a chance? ’’

‘‘ don’t you ask me any questions. ’’

‘‘ go on and light me like a cigarette. ’’

‘‘ go on and light me like a cigarette, even if it might be something you regret. ’’

‘‘ you got me now, now, now. ’’

‘‘ swallow me down, down, down, down. ’’

‘‘ i only light up when cameras are flashing. ’’

‘‘ never enough and no satisfaction. ’’

‘‘ got no shame. ’’

‘‘ got no shame. i love the way you're screaming my name. ’’

‘‘ i love the way you're screaming my name. ’’

‘‘ diggin’ my grave to get a reaction. ’’

‘‘ changing my face and calling it fashion. ’’

‘‘ lay me down in the palm of your hand. ’’

‘‘ i'll give you my permission. ’’

‘‘ i'll give you my permission, you'll always be forgiven. ’’

‘‘ you'll always be forgiven. ’’

‘‘ go on, replace me. ’’

‘‘ go on, replace me when you're craving something sweeter than the words i left in your mouth. ’’

‘‘ when you're craving something sweeter than the words i left in your mouth, go on and spit me out. ’’

‘‘ go on and spit me out. ’’

OLD ME.

‘‘ shout out to the old me. ’’

‘‘ shout out to the old me and everything he showed me. ’’

‘‘ glad you didn’t listen when the world was trying to slow me. ’’

‘‘ no one could control me. ’’

‘‘ no one could control me, left my lovers lonely. ’’

‘‘ left my lovers lonely. ’’

‘‘ had to fuck it up before i really got to know me. ’’

‘‘ never a night alone. ’’

‘‘ never a night alone, anywhere you wanna go. ’’

‘‘ anywhere you wanna go. ’’

‘‘ woke up in the morning wearing someone else’s clothes. ’’

‘‘ pictures in my phone with people i don't know. ’’

‘‘ how the hell’d i make it home? ’’

‘‘ and they wondered how long i could keep it up. ’’

‘‘ and they wondered how long i could keep it up while i wondered if i’d ever get enough. ’’

‘‘ i wondered if i’d ever get enough. ’’

‘‘ and i did some shit i never should have done. ’’

‘‘ i would do it over now. ’’

‘‘ i would do it over now. i'd do it over. ’’

‘‘ i'd do it over. ’’

‘‘ shout out to the old me and everything you showed me. ’’

‘‘ all of the mistakes i made. ’’

‘‘ whatever the price i paid. ’’

‘‘ had to fuck it up before i let you get to know me. ’’

‘‘ another round, here we go. ’’

‘‘ here we go, going in blow for blow. ’’

‘‘ going in blow for blow. ’’

‘‘ look into the mirror. ’’

‘‘ look into the mirror, take the punches that i throw. ’’

‘‘ take the punches that i throw. ’’

‘‘ i'm constantly reminded of all the compromises. ’’

‘‘ i'm constantly reminded of all the compromises by people from my past who have a hard time letting go. ’’

‘‘ devil at my door got me knockin’ on the other side. ’’

‘‘ ashes on the floor but i'm walkin’ out of here alive. ’’

‘‘ but i'm walkin’ out of here alive. ’’

EASIER.

‘‘ is it easier to stay? ’’ 

‘‘ is it easier to stay? is it easier to go? ’’

‘‘ is it easier to go? ’’

‘‘ i don't wanna know. ’’

‘‘ but i know that i'm never, ever gonna change. ’’

‘‘ but i know that i'm never, ever gonna change and you know you don't want it any other way. ’’

‘‘ and you know you don't want it any other way. ’’

‘‘ why do we always gotta run away? ’’

‘‘ and we wind up in the same place. ’’

‘‘ it's like we're lookin’ for the same thing. ’’

‘‘ do we really gotta do this now? ’’

‘‘ in the morning, we can work it out. ’’

‘‘ i love you so much that i hate you. ’’

‘‘ right now it's so hard to blame you. ’’

‘‘ right now it's so hard to blame cause you're so damn beautiful. ’’

‘‘ you're so damn beautiful. ’’

‘‘ but i know that i'm never, ever gonna change and you know that you're always gonna stay the same. ’’

‘‘ and you know that you're always gonna stay the same. ’’

‘‘ every time that you say you're gonna leave, that's when you get the very best of me. ’’

‘‘ that's when you get the very best of me. ’’

‘‘ you know we need it like the air we breathe. ’’

‘‘ the hardest part of all is that we're only built to fall. ’’

TEETH.

‘‘ some days you're the only thing i know. ’’

‘‘ some days you're the only thing i know, only thing that's burning when the nights grow cold. ’’

‘‘ can't look away. ’’

‘‘ beg you to stay. ’’

‘‘ sometimes you're a stranger in my bed. ’’

‘‘ sometimes you're a stranger in my bed. don’t know if you love me or you want me dead. ’’

‘‘ don’t know if you love me or you want me dead. ’’

‘‘ push me away. ’’

‘‘ push me away, then beg me to stay. ’’

‘‘ then beg me to stay. ’’

‘‘ call me in the morning to apologize. ’’

‘‘ every little lie gives me butterflies. ’’

‘‘ something in the way you're lookin’’ through my eyes. ’’

‘‘ something in the way you're lookin’’ through my eyes, don’t know if i'm gonna make it out alive. ’’

‘‘ don’t know if i'm gonna make it out alive. ’’

‘‘ fight so dirty, but your love so sweet. ’’

‘‘ talk doesn't pretty, but your heart got teeth. ’’

‘‘ late night devil, put your hands on me. ’’

‘‘ put your hands on me and never, never, never ever let go. ’’

‘‘ and never, never, never ever let go. ’’

‘‘ some days you're the best thing in my life. ’’

‘‘ sometimes when i look at you i see my wife. ’’

‘‘ sometimes when i look at you i see my wife, then you turn into somebody i don't know. ’’

‘‘ then you turn into somebody i don't know. ’’

‘‘ then you turn into somebody i don't know and you push me away. ’’

‘‘ and you push me away. ’’

‘‘ blood on my shirt, rose in my hand. ’’

‘‘ you're lookin’ at me like you don't know who i am. ’’

‘‘ blood on my shirt, heart in my hand still beating. ’’

WILDFLOWER.

‘‘ i hear you calling out my name. ’’

‘‘ i love the sound, i love the taste. ’’

‘‘ and i can see it in your face. ’’

‘‘ and i can see it in your face, you've got a side you can't explain. ’’

‘‘ you've got a side you can't explain. ’’

‘‘ you're tellin’ me you wanna come over. ’’

‘‘ you wanna be closer. ’’

‘‘ i love it when you wear your hair down over your shoulder. ’’

‘‘ cause i wanna hold ya. ’’

‘‘ cause i know where tonight is going. ’’

‘‘ tell you what i like. ’’

‘‘ my wildflower. ’’

‘‘ you know you are my favorite fantasy. ’’

‘‘ you know you are my favorite fantasy, a fatal love song. ’’

‘‘ a fatal love song. ’’

‘‘ waterfall is overflowing. ’’

‘‘ i see the color in your veins. ’’

‘‘ it makes me smile. ’’

‘‘ it makes me smile, it makes me shake. ’’

‘‘ it makes me shake. ’’

‘‘ i see the shadow in my brain. ’’

‘‘ i like its look, and i like its shape. ’’

BEST YEARS.

‘‘ you've got a million reasons to hesitate. ’’

‘‘ you've got a million reasons to hesitate but darling, the future’s better than yesterday. ’’

‘‘ the future’s better than yesterday. ’’

‘‘ i wasted so much time on people that reminded me of you. ’’

‘‘ gave you a million reasons to walk away. ’’

‘‘ gave you a million reasons to walk away, but i'll build a house out of the mess and broken pieces. ’’

‘‘ i'll build a house out of the mess and broken pieces. ’’

‘‘ i'll make up for all of your tears. ’’

‘‘ i'll give you the best years. ’’

‘‘ past love, burned out like a cigarette. ’’

‘‘ i promise, darling, you won't regret the best years. ’’

‘‘ you won't regret the best years. ’’

‘‘ i wanna hold your hair when you drink too much. ’’

‘‘ i wanna hold your hair when you drink too much and carry you home when you cannot stand up. ’’

‘‘ you did all these things for me when i was half a man for you. ’’

‘‘ i wanna hold your hand while we're growing up. ’’

NOT IN THE SAME WAY.

‘‘ drink all night, never sleep. ’’

‘‘ you say “go,” i won't leave. ’’

‘‘ i love you, you love me. ’’

‘‘ i love you, you love me, but not in the same way. ’’

‘‘ but not in the same way. ’’

‘‘ rip my heart out and leave. ’’

‘‘ on the floor, watch me bleed. ’’

‘‘ watch me bleed. ’’

‘‘ not today. ’’

‘‘ mascara’s runnin’ down your face again. ’’

‘‘ i can feel it comin’’ down on me. ’’

‘‘ we're good at this game. ’’

‘‘ we fuck, we fight, then you call me a psycho. ’’

‘‘ i walk out the door, but you won't let me go. ’’

‘‘ turn right around, throwin’ rocks at your window. ’’

‘‘ but i can't forget you. ’’

‘‘ and i always let you drink all night, never sleep. ’’

‘‘ i'm wakin’ up to my mistakes again. ’’

‘‘ i'm wakin’ up to my mistakes again. i know you love to point them out. ’’

‘‘ i know you love to point them out. ’’

‘‘ baby, i'm sick of sadness and you're sick of xanax. ’’

‘‘ i never wanna lie to you. ’’

‘‘ i never wanna lie to you, but i can't say no to you. ’’

‘‘ i can't say no to you. ’’

‘‘ i know you think i'm bulletproof. ’’

‘‘ i know you think i'm bulletproof, but you know how to hurt me too. ’’

‘‘ you know how to hurt me too. ’’

‘‘ in the dark, we're black and white. ’’

‘‘ in the dark, we're black and white. in the morning, colorblind. ’’

‘‘ in the morning, colorblind. ’’

‘‘ leave your mark with every bite. ’’

‘‘ leave your mark with every bite, then everything's alright. ’’

‘‘ when you tell me you love, then you wanna leave me. ’’

‘‘ pouring your pills down the sink, sayin’’ it's not what you think. ’’

‘‘ don’t know if i love you. ’’

‘‘ don’t know if i love you, don't know if i hate you. ’’

‘‘ don’t know if i love you, don't know if i hate you, but i can't forget you. ’’

‘‘ don't know if i hate you. ’’

LOVER OF MINE.

‘‘ lover of mine, maybe we'll take some time. ’’

‘‘ kaleidoscope mind gets in the way. ’’

‘‘ hope and i pray, darling, that you will stay. ’’

‘‘ butterfly lies, chase them away. ’’

‘‘ dance around the living room, lose me in the sight of you. ’’

‘‘ lose me in the sight of you. ’’

‘‘ i've seen the red, i've seen the blue. ’’

‘‘ take all of me. ’’

‘‘ take all of me deep to where your secrets hide. ’’

‘‘ swallow every single lie. ’’

‘‘ i'll never give you away. ’’

‘‘ i'll never give you away cause i already made that mistake. ’’

‘‘ i already made that mistake. ’’

‘‘ if my name never fell off your lips again, i know it'd be such a shame. ’’

‘‘ i know it '’’d be such a shame. ’’

‘‘ when i take a look at my life and all of my crimes, you're the only thing that i think i got right. ’’

‘‘ you're the only thing that i think i got right. ’’

‘‘ lover of mine, i know you're colorblind. ’’

‘‘ i watched the world fall from your eyes. ’’

‘‘ all my regrets and things you can't forget, light them all up. ’’

‘‘ light them all up, kiss them goodbye. ’’

THIN WHITE LIES.

‘‘ i don't feel your love. ’’

‘‘ i don't feel your love and i don't ask too many questions. ’’

‘‘ i don’t ask too many questions. ’’

‘‘ the words, they are too much. ’’

‘‘ they are too much when you show me my reflection. ’’

‘‘ when the sun goes down, we all get lonely. ’’

‘‘ watch me as i disappear. ’’

‘‘ these empty sounds and endless stories. ’’

‘‘ so tell me what i wanna hear. ’’

‘‘ killin’ me slow with the words you wrote. ’’

‘‘ the heart you broke. ’’

‘‘ i don't wanna stay, but i'm wide awake. ’’

‘‘ i'm wide awake. ’’

‘‘ thin white lies. ’’

‘‘ just one more taste of you, my love. ’’

‘‘ you never call me out. ’’

‘‘ you never call me out. you know exactly where i'm goin’. ’’

‘‘ you know exactly where i’m goin’’. ’’

‘‘ you got me by the mouth. ’’

‘‘ you got me by the mouth, but she says she love me. ’’

‘‘ she says she love me, she don't show it. ’’

‘‘ she don't show it. ’’

‘‘ i don't think i like me anymore. ’’

‘‘ will someone tell me who i was before? ’’

‘‘ i don't really like me anymore. ’’

LONELY HEART.

‘‘ your type of mind, so hard to find. ’’

‘‘ native of mine, you're just my kind. ’’

‘‘ you're just my kind. ’’

‘‘ down on my knees, i'll always follow. ’’

‘‘ i'll always follow. ’’

‘‘ i promise you until the end of time. ’’

‘‘ our house on fire, we're burnin’. ’’

‘‘ inside you're hurtin’. ’’

‘‘ if you leave me in the morning, i'll have such a lonely heart. ’’

‘‘ if you can't find a reason to stay, then i know i'm gonna always have a lonely heart. ’’

‘‘ i know i'm gonna always have a lonely heart. ’’

‘‘ your precious heart, can't watch it break. ’’

‘‘ can't watch it break, so i close my eyes while you walk away. ’’

‘‘ i close my eyes while you walk away. ’’

‘‘ can i have a second chance? ’’

‘‘ can i have another chance? ’’

‘‘ can i start another life with you? ’’

‘‘ i wake up in a haze and i haven't slept in days. ’’

‘‘ when i wake up in a haze and i haven't slept in days, you're a thousand miles away. ’’

‘‘ you're a thousand miles away with such a lonely heart. ’’

‘‘ lonely, it ain’t nothin’’ new. ’’

‘‘ nothin’’ new to me, nothin’’ new to you. ’’

HIGH.

‘‘ i hope you think of me high. ’’

‘‘ i hope you think of me highly. ’’

‘‘ i hope you think of me highly when you're with someone else. ’’

‘‘ i know your friends all lie. ’’

‘‘ i know your friends don't like me. ’’

‘‘ they want you for themselves. ’’

‘‘ today, i called to tell you that i'm changing. ’’

‘‘ i called to tell you that i'm changing, but i don't think you have enough respect to see me try. ’’

‘‘ i don't think you have enough respect to see me try. ’’

‘‘ i've been waking up in different spaces. ’’

‘‘ i've been waking up in different spaces and i think my heart is built to last more than a night. ’’

‘‘ i think my heart is built to last more than a night. ’’

‘‘ i need to stop letting me down. ’’

‘‘ i know i'll never meet your expectations. ’’

‘‘ i know i'll never meet your expectations, but the picture that you paint of me looks better in your mind. ’’

‘‘ the picture that you paint of me looks better in your mind. ’’

‘‘ now every step i take with hesitation. ’’

‘‘ now every step i take with hesitation and i'll always miss the memories of the mornings we were high. ’’

‘‘ i'll always miss the memories of the mornings we were high. ’’

KILL MY TIME.

‘‘ fingertips on me. ’’

‘‘ fingertips on me. i can feel them still. ’’

‘‘ i can feel them still. ’’

‘‘ stained hearts trying to find a home. ’’

‘‘ stained hearts trying to find a home, looking for something real. ’’

‘‘ looking for something real. ’’

‘‘ i said meet me downtown at the dive bar. ’’

‘‘ you’re the only one that makes me feel alive. ’’

‘‘ i can’t keep drowning in the shadows. ’’

‘‘ here i am, lay it all on the line. ’’

‘‘ you’re the only one that matters. ’’

‘‘ i don’t wanna kill my time with somebody else. ’’

‘‘ dancing in the dark till the sun comes. ’’

‘‘ dancing in the dark till the sun comes, tangled in the sheets till the day’s done. ’’

‘‘ tangled in the sheets till the day’s done. ’’

‘‘ in a city full of lonely people like this, i want you all to myself. ’’

‘‘ he’s only got half your heart. ’’

‘‘ he’s only got half your heart cause i’ve got the other part. ’’

‘‘ why don’t you just say goodbye now? ’’

‘‘ it’s only a matter of time now. ’’

‘‘ take you on a desert drive. ’’

‘‘ we can leave it all tonight. ’’

[tunehummed]

THE JONATHAN LARSON PROJECT. — 458 sentences from the 2019 album the jonathan larson project, conceived by jennifer ashley tepper! change pronouns as needed. trigger warning for mentions/discussion of abuse, sexism, homophobia, and oil spills.

GREENE STREET.

‛ i found the sun on a midwinter day. ’

‛ on a backstreet down in soho, there was snow on the ground. ’

‛ instinct told me to get out and search for a day. ’

‛ there goes a chic, chic baby on her way to a coup d’état. ’

‛ there goes a fella like me lookin’ for his day. ’

‛ there goes a boy in his mama’s arms. ’

‛ you can say what you can say. ’

‛ there goes a lover sittin’ and writin’ this song. ’

‛ i’m sittin’ on greene street! ’

‛ and i don’t mean money, honey. ’

‛ watchin’ the world waltz by. ’

‛ laughing the day away. ’

‛ there goes a man with a camera whose sunglasses shade his eyes. ’

‛ there goes a man who seems that he knows a star. ’

‛ there goes a tourist who’s scared to answer me. ’

‛ there goes a dancer too scared to answer me, an artist who winked as she passed by. ’

‛ an artist who winked as she passed by! ’

‛ all these people out in the street, too bad that no one wants to meet. ’

‛ too bad that no one wants to meet. ’

‛ everybody i see walks right by. ’

‛ would someone please look me in the eye? ’

ONE OF THESE DAYS.

‛ another failure, another flop. ’

‛ i should try another hobby, this has gotta stop. ’

‛ i feel like a tightrope walker without the wire. ’

‛ one more disaster, one more dud. ’

‛ it could be worse! at least this time no flood. ’

‛ at least this time no flood. ’

‛ at least this time no flood, though it’s the fourteenth time that i’ve almost caught on fire. ’

‛ though it’s the fourteenth time that i’ve almost caught on fire. ’

‛ maybe it’s luck! what is luck, how could this be luck? ’

‛ no one’s luck could be this bad! ’

‛ maybe it’s fate, maybe it’s time… ’

‛ one of these days i’ll find a way. ’

‛ i’ll make it to the top, leave ‘em all back in the dust. ’

‛ one of these days someone will say, ‘that boy will never stop!’ ’

‛ that day’s gonna be one of these days. ’

‛ don’t understand it, it isn’t fair. ’

‛ every time i try to prove myself results just aren’t there. ’

‛ i feel like a mountain climber without the peak. ’

‛ my sister laughs at me, says i’m odd. ’

‛ my mom and pop think i’m a punishment from god. ’

‛ i get looks from my neighbors that seem to say, ‘there goes that FREAK!’ ’

‛ sometimes i wish - no, i don’t - yes, i do, i wish! ’

‛ i wish that somehow i’d been born dumb. ’

‛ then i feel that something may change. ’

‛ i’ll rise above the throng. ’

‛ they’ll be amazed at who they see. ’

‛ one of these days someone will say, ‘i knew it all along.’ ’

‛ one of these days that’s what will be. ’

‛ god, can it happen today? ’

‛ maybe there’s been a mistake. ’

‛ let’s trade a failure for one minor miracle. ’

‛ i’m gonna be number one! ’

‛ i’m gonna be number one, at least in some one person’s eyes. ’

‛ one of these days someone will say, ‘you are my only one.’ ’

‛ i’m gonna fly, i’m gonna touch the sky. ’

‛ i’m gonna win, i’m gonna sin, i’m gonna never die. ’

‛ gonna glow, gonna flow, gonna click, gonna stick. ’

‛ gonna gain, reach, conquer, gonna make ‘em sick. ’

‛ gonna triumph, prevail, sail, razzle dazzle, glitter gleam. ’

‛ gonna see my face in every house on every screen. ’

‛ i’ll be the hero, i’ll change the world. ’

‛ and maybe in the end i’ll even get the girl! ’

‛ gotta believe it. ’

‛ i can see through the haze. ’

‛ a miracle’s in for a landing, gonna get here, gonna happen one of these days. ’

BREAK OUT THE BOOZE.

‛ the wolf’s at the door and i hear talk of war. ’

‛ somebody break out the booze. ’

‛ let’s grab some hooch. ’

‛ let’s get goopy and smooch. ’

‛ forget all this sob sister news. ’

‛ the world’s gettin’ lousy, so let’s go get drowsy. ’

‛ yes, right here and now-sy. ’

‛ let’s bow-wow these blues. ’

‛ the stars look poetic. the moon’s copacetic. ’

‛ crank up your jalopy and then we’ll get sloppy. ’

‛ we’ll call up our bookie and say to him: ‘cookie, lookie, we’ve nothing to lose.’ ’

‛ the times ain’t so jake, every bum’s on the take. ’

‛ got no cake, got no steak, just this ache in my shoes. ’

‛ the moon’s looking cheesy. your eyes say, ‘i’m easy.’ ’

‛ oh – it’s swell to be alive. ’

‛ oh – it’s the real mccoy! ’

‛ oh – give a yell, we’ll survive. ’

‛ waiter! who needs a mug? give me a bottle or a jug. ’

‛ the government’s awful, so let’s be unlawful. ’

‛ throw out the compass and let’s make a rumpus. ’

‛ this town’s getting screwy, so let’s go kablooey. ’

‛ it’s true if we get boo-hoo-y, we lose. ’

‛ let’s make it strange – hell! let’s get naked, angel. ’

OUT OF MY DREAMS.

‛ out of my dreams. ’

‛ out all night, kisses on the street. ’

‛ sidewalk, dance, september heat. ’

‛ stay in bed, love all day. ’

‛ fire, passion, every single way. ’

‛ go to work, mind on you. anticipating what we’re gonna do. ’

‛ nasty words on the telephone. ’

‛ alarm goes off, i’m in bed alone. ’

‛ you left my life. stay out of my dreams. ’

‛ thursday, friday, 3 am. ’

‛ buses, subways. us versus them. ’

‛ winter chill, skies look dark. ’

‛ monkey business in central park. ’

‛ coffee, cocoa, more whipped cream. ’

‛ vodka, brandy. was it just a dream? ’

‛ window shopping, christmas day. ’

‛ i wake up, all that was yesterday! ’

‛ try to stay busy. hard to stay afloat. ’

‛ will i be sunk by this lump in my throat? ’

‛ can’t think, can’t act, can’t find new roads. ’

‛ think i see you everywhere, my heart explodes. ’

‛ will i ever laugh? will i ever be the same? ’

‛ i’m tossing, i’m turning, i’m calling your name. ’

‛ maybe you’ll come back. that thought makes me weep. ’

‛ the only thing i do is i go back to sleep. ’

‛ stay out of my dreams. get out! ’

VALENTINE’S DAY.

‛ he was a greeting card candy cupid. ’

‛ there was a blizzard, it was twenty below. ’

‛ she was 15, clean, lonely and stupid, and as pure as the virgin snow. ’

‛ he pulled her in from the storm and the fire was warm. she didn’t have the nerve to say no. ’

‛ she didn’t have the nerve to say no. ’

‛ beat her till she’s black and blue and gray. ’

‛ draw a little heart. draw a little arrow. draw a little blood. ’

‛ v-v-v-valentine’s day. ’

‛ red wine, waterford crystal. chocolate kisses and lace. ’

‛ knives and chains and a pistol mounted on a wall, like scars on a face. ’

‛ he said he liked to play rough as he locked the handcuff. she knew it’d be tough to escape. ’

‛ she knew it’d be tough to escape. ’

‛ february winter in her heart. ’

‛ i said i’d show her normal love. she said, ‘too late to start.’ ’

‛ she said, ‘too late to start.’ ’

‛ now her fashion is basically leather. favorite color is basically red. ’

‛ and her passions change like the weather, as she dances from bed to bed to bed. ’

‛ and she feels like a fool, but she likes her men cruel. ’

‛ i doubt she’ll be cool till she’s dead. ’

WHITE MALE WORLD.

‛ bryant gumbel, decaf coffee, french vanilla ultra slim. ’

‛ pert shampoo with extra body, clinique, neutrogena. ’

‛ hey, madonna. ho, madonna, hey. ’

‛ stay-free, yeast-x, estee lauder. ’

‛ estee lauder, revlon, calvin klein’s obsession. ’

‛ advil, ultra-brite, no nonsense. ’

‛ diamonds are forever. ’

‛ it’s just another day. just another day. ’

‛ just another day in the white male world.  ’

‛ salad bar, no! candy bar. ’

‛ yes. candy bar, no! salad bar. ’

‛ diet coke, no! diet rite. ’

‛ cellulite or cancer? ’

‛ yes sir, no sir. ’

‛ holly hunter, melanie griffith, meryl streep. ’

‛ spandex, reeboks. ’

‛ taylor dayne, stairmaster, oprah winfrey. ’

‛ let’s cut down a jungle. ’

‛ let’s go start a war. ’

‛ let’s go rape a co-ed. ’

‛ what a lovely thing to do! ’

‛ let’s drink beer and bust some heads. ’

‛ let’s all vote for jesse helms. ’

‛ let’s string up a faggot and a black guy and a jew. ’

‛ evian water, black lace push-up, billiard table, dirty words. ’

‛ skinny blue jeans, skimpy t-shirt. ’

‛ husband hunting, binge & purge. ’

‛ open your mouth and open your legs and open your purse. now – where’s the trojan? ’

‛ now – where’s the trojan? ’

‛ wait! don’t stop! too late, he’s finished. ’

‛ what if men got pregnant? ’

LA DI DA RAP.

‛ we all should be drinkin’ to abraham lincoln and get stinkin’ drunk in his name. ’

‛ it’s a good thing he’s dead cause he’d cry his eyes red, hang his head if he saw this campaign. ’

‛ singing hey la di la di, hey la di da day. ’

‛ lincoln! here’s mud in your eye. ’

‛ are we past our prime? or is this the time to climb from the slime, make america great. ’

‛ are we so hollow that we blindly follow and swallow whatever they put on our plate? ’

‛ just sing no! ’

‛ to handlers, sound bytes, madison avenue, cynical hollywood, la di da pictures. ’

‛ tabloids, images, wrapped up facts in relation, slim control. ’

‛ la di da you drama la di da de da de la di da. ’

‛ pour some ales for old roger ailes and danny quayle’s his protégé. ’

‛ in ‘96 his looks, his tricks make tricky dick’s crime passe. ’

‛ i’ve had it up to here. ’

‛ here’s mud in your eye! ’

IRON MIKE.

‛ on a starry black night at the base of mount hogan, beyond horsetail creek and anderson bay. ’

‛ from the port of valdez sailed a ship, bound for long beach. ’

‛ over one million barrels of crude stowed away. ’

‛ to the left of the wheel in the bridge of the upper deck under the compass, was he. ’

‛ navigation computer, the captain and fisherman’s friend who could steer perfectly. ’

‛ they called him iron mike. ’

‛ in the dead of the night he steered the way through the darkness. ’

‛ iron mike didn’t see the red light on the reef. ’

‛ he’d been known to throw back one or two. ’

‛ yet no one thought twice when he set autopilot and retired below with the crew. ’

‛ from the two am stillness came the cry of the third mate. ’

‛ someone better go wake up the chief! ’

‛ yet by then it was too late. ’

‛ the starboard tanks had 12 foot gashes cut out by bligh reef. ’

‛ the forget-me-nots cried and the salmon all died and the fisherman wore black armbands. ’

‛ and the spokesmen from exxon said, ‘no major damage,’ though six million gallons remain in the sands. ’

‛ and from rocky point down to mount freemantle, you can still see the black film on the soil. ’

‛ and the echoes rebound throughout prince william sound of half frozen animals, choking in oil. ’

‛ who’s at the helm of this ship of state? ’

‛ we’ve in for some rough navigation. ’

‛ we have the power – the hour is late. ’

‛ gotta get tough and clean up the nation. ’

‛ black rainbows of exxon lightgrade again flowed, like hot fudge in a big apple spill. ’

‛ the detection machine had malfunctioned quite often, repair procedure so hard to enforce. ’

‛ and down on prall’s island, the cleanup begins. ’

‛ and the horror continues till we chart our own course. ’

‛ it’s the dead of the night. ’

‛ we can steer a new way through the darkness. ’

‛ we must see the light for relief. ’

FIND THE KEY.

‛ she’s walking, he’s sitting. ’

‛ he plays a dark c-minor chord. ’

‛ it’s like the keyboard is his heart. ’

‛ he hears the clock, he hugs the cat. ’

‛ he hugs the cat… no. he kicks the cat. ’

‛ he pumps the volume higher. ’

‛ a fire’s just about to start. ’

‛ why can’t, why can’t i? ’

‛ why can’t i, why can’t i find the key? ’

‛ why can’t i find the key? ’

‛ door closes – he freezes. ’

‛ he sees it’s hard to end duets. ’

‛ he lets his fingers feel the way. ’

‛ he loves her, he’s lost her. ’

‛ he’s hearing melancholy strings that sing the things that he can’t say. ’

‛ he can’t imagine what he should have said. ’

‛ it’s all been said and sounds cliché. ’

‛ he’s at the bridge between his head which says, ‘it’s dead,’ and his heart which says, ‘don’t let her get away.’ ’

‛ she’s gone now. he’s singing. ’

‛ he’s singing. he hears no two part harmony. ’

‛ he hears no two part harmony. ’

‛ he looks around – this can’t be real. ’

‛ this can’t be real. ’

‛ depression, a dark progression. ’

‛ why can he only sing it? ’

‛ what will it take to make him feel? ’

‛ and then somehow it ends. ’

HOSING THE FURNITURE.

‛ hello my lucite coffee table. someone spill a little milk on you? ’

‛ tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk. ’

‛ one – more – twist! that’s better now. ’

‛ silly little me, me, me, me, me, me, me! ’

‛ i’m singing in the living room. ’

‛ what’s the time? fifteen minutes. ’

‛ pour the bleach, put the finishing touches on the dinner. ’

‛ the dog – the dog – the dog. still outside. ’

‛ my nails! my god! a chip! ’

‛ tom likes wonder bread with turkey. ’

‛ tom was preoccupied last night. ’

‛ is it me? is it – ’

‛ do i have enough milk? ’

‛ oh stain stain, down the drain. ’

‛ i can see myself in the coffee table, pretty as i was on my wedding day. ’

‛ pretty as i was on my wedding day. ’

‛ i’m as pretty as the coffee table. we’re so pretty! ’

‛ we’re so pretty! ’

‛ ah! what? you scared me. ’

‛ who were you talking to? ’

‛ who? no one. ’

‛ what’s all this? ’

‛ why are you acting so weird? ’

‛ you know i’m hosing the furniture. ’

‛ and when i hose, i sing to myself. ’

‛ who do you think cleans up? some elf? ’

‛ no sweeping – no mops. in no time it’s wheeeeee! ’

‛ when i’m hosing the furniture i’m free. ’

‛ i’m free – i’m free! ’

‛ now run along and play – i’m concentrating. ’

‛ you know your father likes to come home to that ‘just decorated look’... ’

‛ raindrops are falling on my couch! ’

‛ what’s the time? thirty minutes! ’

‛ martinis, cut the flowers for the dinner. ’

‛ the dog – the dog – the dog. hasn’t been fed. ’

‛ my hair! my god! a gray hair! ’

‛ tom likes onion cocktails. ’

‛ tom nodded off again last night. ’

‛ i get treated like dirt! ’

‛ i can see myself in the drapery. ’

‛ am i pretty as i was on my wedding day? ’

‛ am i pretty as the drapery? are we pretty? ’

‛ are we pretty? ’

‛ don’t you care? ’

‛ do i look mad? my happiness grows! ’

‛ who needs dad when i’ve got the hose! ’

‛ this house is a reflection of me – modern, graceful, easy, simple – synthetic. ’

‛ modern, graceful, easy, simple – synthetic. ’

‛ in everything i see my reflection. ’

‛ do i really look so simply pathetic? ’

‛ what? pull the trigger! ’

‛ soon it’s gonna rain on the bookshelf. ’

‛ what’s the time? 120 minutes. ’

‛ dry turkey, look relaxed for the dinner. ’

‛ the dog – the dog – the dog. the dog died last year! ’

‛ my blouse! my god! a crumb! ’

‛ i can see myself in the television. ’

‛ i was pretty on my wedding day. ’

‛ i was pretty as a television. we were pretty. ’

‛ we were pretty. ’

‛ a minor flood never hurt anyone! ’

‛ sometimes i wish this hose were a gun. ’

‛ just joking – see, i’m laughing. ’

PURA VIDA

‛ we are the people. ’

‛ we are the people who float on the river. ’

‛ we run up to the hill, we run down to the water. ’

‛ birds laugh and the sun, she smiles. ’

‛ and the trees, they dance in the wind. ’

‛ we race against time. ’

‛ we race for pure life. ’

‛ we need the people. ’

‛ we need the people who live on the river. ’

‛ find a pace, find a speed. ’

‛ nowhere to stop in big water. ’

‛ fish fly and the rocks play games and the trees sing out in the wind. ’

‛ sing in harmony. ’

‛ can we endure this race? ’

‛ can this race endure? ’

‛ we need the people who live in the forest. ’

‛ ‘ust there be finish lines? ’

‛ can’t the world drum like the water? ’

‛ the rivers will dry, and the birds will die. ’

‛ and the ghosts of the trees will cry out in the wind. ’

THE TRUTH IS A LIE.

‛ the berlin wall wasn’t destroyed, it was dismantled brick by brick. ’

‛ it was dismantled brick by brick. ’

‛ it was dismantled brick by brick and reconstructed on capitol hill, on the congressional floor. ’

‛ the money spent on one stealth bomber couldn’t wipe out homelessness. ’

‛ george bush never said, ‘read my lips.’ ’

‛ the peace dividend didn’t pay for the war. ’

‛ don’t look out the window. don’t go to the mirror. don’t you know what you will see? ’

‛ don’t you know what you will see? ’

‛ martin luther king and the kennedys were fictional players in a mini-series, just like charles manson and princess grace. ’

‛ bensonhurst was a publicity stunt. ’

‛ aids is a myth, first amendment’s fake. ’

‛ the sun revolves around the earth and the holocaust never took place. ’

‛ the truth is a lie! ’

‛ love does not exist between consenting members of the same sex. ’

‛ two plus two is five. ’

‛ the human body is revolting. ’

‛ we always will thrive. ’

‛ children don’t learn to hate from their parents. they catch it like german measles. ’

‛ they catch it like german measles. ’

‛ the moon is cheese and everyone should own a gun. ’

‛ women ask to be black and blue and pregnant their entire lives. ’

‛ the earth is flat and the white man knows what’s best for everyone. ’

‛ don’t you know what you might see? ’

‛ don’t look at the picture. don’t go to the theater. don’t you know what you will see? ’

RHAPSODY.

‛ i turn a corner, see a rat in the rubble as i try with all my might to put it out of mind. ’

‛ as i try with all my might to put it out of mind. ’

‛ i step on some budweiser glass. a limousine drives by. ’

‛ a rich man turns a corner, sees a rat in the rubble. ’

‛ he raises his smile glass window and reads the wall street journal. ’

‛ sky’s not free. river’s not free. i’m not free. life’s not free. ’

‛ life’s not free in the city. ’

‛ i’m told i too must wear a tie or they’ll fire me from my boring nothing job. ’

‛ i guess a tie is the ornament of establishment. ’

‛ i guess a tie is the ornament of establishment, though it seems to me to be more of a leash than a bow. ’

‛ though it seems to me to be more of a leash than a bow. ’

‛ so many people hounded to the pound. ’

‛ so many people collared to the dollar. ’

‛ okay, freedom is a state of mind. i agree. ’

‛ but i need the elements to remind me why. ’

‛ but i need the elements to remind me why with all this steel and concrete and noise about money. ’

‛ with all this steel and concrete and noise about money. honey, you get tunnel vision. ’

‛ honey, you get tunnel vision. ’

‛ you forget that there’s earth below the subway and beyond the ‘scrapers, there’s sky. ’

‛ i plan a day in the country with you. ’

‛ having gotten home from work last night at 12:30 am. ’

‛ having fallen asleep last night at 3:30 am because i couldn’t shut down my mind. ’

‛ because i couldn’t shut down my mind. ’

‛ the city never sleeps. ’

‛ as the phone rang this morning, your sweet was calling, i looked at that clock. ’

‛ how i hate that damn clock. ’

‛ i excuse myself from our date. ’

‛ see, i had to be back by mid-afternoon. ’

‛ and i know these are lame excuses and i’m so damn sorry. ’

‛ i’m so damn sorry. ’

‛ i know it’s important, but i feel like i’ve gotten my priorities beaten out of me. ’

‛ but i feel like i’ve gotten my priorities beaten out of me. ’

‛ but i feel like i’ve gotten my priorities beaten out of me with a rolled-up new york times. ’

‛ and this leash keeps tanking on my tie. ’

‛ i love ‘rhapsody in blue’ too. it’s just that he was rich when he wrote it. ’

‛ it’s just that he was rich when he wrote it. ’

‛ and only the rats, the roaches, the rubble and the rich men are free in the city. ’

SOS.

‛ this may be my final message. ’

‛ this may be the final bow. ’

‛ i’m sure i don’t know what will happen. ’

‛ i’m sure i don’t know what will happen. does it matter anyhow? ’

‛ does it matter anyhow? ’

‛ i hear footsteps down the hall. ’

‛ don’t know how much they’ll allow. ’

‛ if you’re waiting for the last reel, i think the time is now. ’

‛ i think the time is now. ’

‛ sos, oh, savior! ’

‛ sos, oh, hero! ’

‛ sos, messiah! ’

‛ yes, oh yes, oh! ’

‛ sos, oh jesus! ’

‛ sos, oh buddhal! ’

‛ sos, emmanuel!  ’

‛ this may be my final hour. ’

‛ this may be the dying day. ’

‛ though they never taught me why in school, i think i’m learning how to pray. ’

‛ i think i’m learning how to pray. ’

‛ they are right outside the door. ’

‛ don’t know why they keep on stalling. ’

‛ i know you’ve heard this all before. ’

‛ i know you’ve heard this all before, but it’s the last time that i’m calling. ’

‛ but it’s the last time that i’m calling. ’

‛ sos, almighty! ’

‛ sos, oh yahwah! ’

‛ sos, oh mighty zeus! ’

‛ sos, oh allah! ’

‛ does anybody hear? ’

‛ does anybody hear? answer me now if you do. ’

‛ answer me now if you do. ’

‛ is anybody there? ’

‛ is anybody there? i need you. ’

‛ i need you. ’

‛ this may be the curtain call. ’

‛ does it matter anymore? ’

‛ i asked why. that’s why i say make a try. it’s only a play. ’

‛ that’s why i say make a try. ’

‛ it’s only a play. ’

LOVE HEALS.

‛ like a breath of midnight air. ’

‛ like a lighthouse, like a prayer. ’

‛ like a flicker and the flare the sky reveals. ’

‛ like a walk along the shore that you’ve walked a thousand times before. ’

‛ like the ocean roars, love heals. ’

‛ there are those who shield their heart. ’

‛ those who quit before they start. ’

‛ who’ve frozen up the part of them that feels. ’

‛ in the dark they’ve lost their sight, like a ship without a star in the night. ’

‛ but it’s alright. love heals. ’

‛ love heals when pain’s too much to bear. ’

‛ when you reach out your hand and only the wind is there. ’

‛ when life’s unfair, when things like us are not meant to be. love heals. ’

‛ when you feel so small like a grain of sand, like nothing at all. ’

‛ when you look out at the sea. that’s where love will be. ’

‛ that’s where love will be. ’

‛ that’s where you’ll find me. ’

‛ you’ll find me. ’

‛ so if you fear the storm ahead as you lie awake in bed. ’

‛ no one there to stroke your head and your mind reels. ’

‛ if your face is salty wet and you’re drowning in regret, just don’t forget. ’

‛ don’t forget. ’

‛ don’t forget love heals. ’

‛ love heals. ’

PIANO.

‛ when the world is a constant jumble and a wall or two decides to tumble. ’

‛ when i think i’m at the end of the line. ’

‛ when i think i’m at the end of the line, somehow i get to you in time. ’

‛ somehow i get to you in time. ’

‛ somehow i get through to you in time. ’

‛ oh piano, you saved my soul again. ’

‛ you saved my soul again. ’

‛ oh piano, you saved my soul, amen. ’

‛ you saved my soul, amen. ’

‛ i may not play like a concert man, but i got a song to sing. ’

‛ but i got a song to sing. ’

‛ i may not play like a concert man, but i got soul. ’

‛ but i got soul. ’

‛ piano, save my soul. ’

[tunehummed]

TWO-PLAYER GAME. — 355 sentences from joe iconis and george salazar’s 2018 album plus a few bonuses from live performances! change pronouns as needed. trigger warning for mentions of drugs, depression, and suicide.

BROADWAY, HERE I COME.

‛ i’m high above the city. ’

‛ i’m standing on the ledge. ’

‛ the view from here is pretty. ’

‛ and i step off the edge. ’

‛ and now i’m fallin’, baby, through the sky. ’

‛ it’s my callin’, baby, don’t you cry. ’

‛ i’m fallin’ down through the sky. ’

‛ broadway, here i come. ’

‛ i could almost go to pieces, but i’m not quite there yet. ’

‛ see i’ve been bravin’ crazy weather, drownin’ out my cries. ’

‛ i pull myself together. ’

‛ i’m focused on the prize. ’

‛ and it’s a tune you can hum. ’

‛ will i remain the same, or will i change a little bit? ’

‛ will i feel broken or totally complete? ’

‛ will i retain my name when i’m the biggest, hugest hit? ’

‛ or will i blend in with the rest of the street? ’

‛ the people all are pointing. ’

‛ i bet they’d never guess that the saint that they’re anointing is frightened of the mess. ’

‛ but even though i fear it, i’m playin’ all my cards. ’

‛ baby, you are gonna hear it when i give them my regards. ’

‛ and i refuse to go numb. ’

‛ is it a scream or a cheer? ’

‛ well, never mind, i’ll never find out. ’

‛ cause broadway, i am here. ’

TWO-PLAYER GAME.

‛ find the bad guy, push ‘em aside. ’

‛ then move on forward with your friend at your side. ’

‛ it’s a two-player game. ’

‛ so when they make an attack, you know you got a brother. ’

‛ gonna have your back. ’

‛ remain on course! ’

‛ and if they give you a smack, you use your force! ’

‛ and if you leave your brother behind it’s lame. ’

‛ cause it’s an effed up world. ’

‛ dude, you are cooler than a vintage cassette. ’

‛ it’s just that no one else but me thinks that yet. ’

‛ you’re just a nothing in this high school scheme. ’

‛ but it’s no big cause you and i are a team. ’

‛ nobody here appreciates, but soon we’ll be together where they do. ’

‛ cause guys like us are cool in college. ’

‛ we rule in college. ’

‛ high school is hell, but we navigate it well. ’

‛ it’s what we do. ’

‛ we make it a two-player game. ’

‛ as losers, we have fought together for years. ’

‛ now we’re stuck on a level and i wanna move on. ’

‛ just wait two years whereupon you’ll realize guys like us are cool in college. ’

‛ dude, i know, i get it. ’

‛ but we’re not in college. ’

‛ high school is wack, but we have each other’s back. ’

‛ you know that you are my favorite person. ’

‛ that doesn’t mean that i can’t still dream. ’

‛ is it really true? ’

‛ we’re never not gonna be a team. ’

‛ high school is shit, and you gotta help me conquer it. ’

I LOVE PLAY REHEARSAL.

‛ i love play rehearsal. ’

‛ because it’s the best. because it is fun. ’

‛ and i get depressed as soon as it’s done. ’

‛ see, i just use the word to emphasize the point. ’

‛ i am passionate a lot. ’

‛ i have mad, gigantic feelings. ’

‛ red and frantic feelings about most everything. ’

‛ like if i’m living up to all i’m meant to be. ’

‛ oh, uh… where was i? ’

‛ cause you are equipped with directions and text. ’

‛ life is easy in rehearsal. ’

‛ you follow a script so you know what comes next. ’

‛ sometimes life can’t work out the way it works out in the play. ’

‛ only when i’m in a show am i the center of attention. ’

‛ like when i’m [role] or [role] and can i mention? ’

‛ those were two of my greatest roles. did you see those? ’

‛ and no matter how hard i try, it’s impossible to narrow down the many reasons why. ’

‛ i happiness cry whenever it starts! ’

‛ it’s just so universal, getting to try playing so many parts. ’

‛ most humans do one thing for all of their lives. the thought of that gives me hives! ’

‛ i’ve got so many interests i wanna pursue. ’

‛ and why am i telling this to you? ’

‛ guess there’s a part of me that wants to. ’

‛ my brain is like ‘bzzz.’ my heart is like ‘wow!’ ’

‛ and it’s starting soon. ’

TINY SHORT LITTLE SONG.

‛ monkeys are cool. babies are too. ’

‛ they make funny sounds that sound simple and new. ’

‛ these are sounds that belong in my tiny short little song. ’

ANDY’S SONG.

‛ i ride my bike to work every morning. ’

‛ i ring my bell and make sure my helmet’s tight. ’

‛ MOVE, ASSHOLE! ’

‛ have a nice day! ’

‛ that happy grin is enough to provide me with total satisfaction for a long, long while! ’

‛ and i don’t have a car because of pollution. ’

‛ so completely not cause i’m much too scared to drive. ’

‛ i’ve gotten pretty far in my evolution. ’

‛ i don’t need a lot to be totally alive! ’

‛ you know those bicycle seats cut down on your sperm count. ’

‛ uuuh… i know that cause you tell me everyday. ’

‛ that boy needs to get laid. ’

‛ i tuck my polo shirt in my levis cause it looks SHARP! okay? ’

‛ how come every person i receive tries to tell me i need ‘something more?’ ’

‛ i don’t need a girlfriend, i got a goldfish! ’

‛ i don’t have a secret dream or some bold wish. ’

‛ i’m fine with what i’ve got, i feel totally alive! ’

‛ i never open it or shake it, too afraid i’d break it. ’

‛ i’ve had self-control since way back then. ’

‛ there’s nothing else i really need. ’

‛ you may think that i want more than i let on, but i’m really fine. ’

‛ but i’m really fine, so no need to be appalled. ’

‛ i’m this way by choice and what you can bet is i’ll keep moving forward. ’

‛ i’ll keep moving forward, the opposite of stalled! ’

‛ your bike is LITERALLY stalled in front of my car! ’

‛ i don’t have a car cause they’re overrated. ’

‛ i don’t have a girlfriend and somehow, i survive! ’

‛ and just as i’ve stated, i mean what i’ve said. ’

‛ sure as the helmet’s on my head, i feel totally alive! ’

‛ i’m the opposite of dead, i feel totally alive! ’

THE ANSWER.

‛ when a fire starts in the hull, how much time do you have before it spreads to the deck? ’

‛ minutes? hours? what time is it anyway? ’

‛ how do you tell your family that you wanna quit school and just play with your band? ’

‛ when a fire starts in the hall, how much time do you have before it burns itself out? ’

‛ and why do i feel like i’m choking lately? ’

‛ what am i doing here? ’

‛ what am i looking for? ’

‛ maybe school, or maybe love, or maybe none of the above is the answer. ’

‛ maybe for once i’ll really try, or fuck it all and just get high cause that’s an answer. ’

‛ cause that’s answer. feels like an answer. ’

‛ and who do i wanna be? ’

‛ what’s the furthest distance a ship can be from shore before it loses its signal? ’

‛ maybe i’ll practice my guitar, or read a book, or steal a car and steal the answer. ’

‛ i’ll get a job and i’ll get paid, or get a girlfriend and get laid, and get the answer. ’

‛ i’ll join the army, go to war, give up my smokes or smoke some more. ’

‛ i need an answer. ’

‛ move to the village, shave my head, wind up happy, wind up dead. ’

‛ wind up in debt, wind up in love, or maybe none of the above is the answer. ’

‛ maybe it’s okay that i don’t have a plan and i don’t have a clue. ’

‛ i’m 19 and that doesn’t mean that i should know exactly what i wanna do, right? ’

‛ i’m 19 and that doesn’t that i should know what i wanna do. ’

‛ i’ve got time to make mistakes, make up my mind. ’

‛ i’ve got time enough to find out all the answers. ’

‛ but i am scared and i’m afraid that a decision won’t get made. ’

‛ i’m afraid that a decision won’t get made and i’ll be like this forever. ’

‛ i need help, need extra help to find the answers. ’

‛ what’s the answer? ’

‛ i don’t know. ’

‛ pencils down, papers turned over. time’s up. ’

‛ time’s up. ’

LISA.

‛ ain’t got no future. ’

‛ ain’t got no future, but i got ADD. ’

‛ but i got ADD. ’

‛ i steal from 7/11. ’

‛ i’m fuckin’ ugly. ’

‛ but she pretends she doesn’t care. ’

‛ she laughs and smiles, fingers through my hair. ’

‛ she must be ashamed of me. ’

‛ so i try and i try to change myself. ’

‛ so i try and i try to change myself, but my back’s against a wall. ’

‛ but my back’s against a wall. ’

‛ i don’t deserve all the coolness of her. ’

‛ i don’t deserve [name] at all. ’

‛ pollute my body. ’

‛ she makes me feel clean, clean, clean. ’

‛ i say ‘i feel like i’m drownin’’. ’

‛ and even though she don’t, she say ‘i know what you mean.’ ’

‛ sign on to AOL and think of funny things to say. ’

‛ she’ll always LOL, never pretends like she’s away. ’

‛ because she likes me for some reason. ’

‛ i know i’m dumb. i know i’m ugly. ’

‛ i know that she is not. ’

‛ i know if i were her i’d hate me. ’

‛ i hope that she does not. ’

‛ i hope that she does not hate me. ’

THE VAGABOND.

‛ i’m wearin’ two pair of underwear, some worn out kicks, and my mangy hair. ’

‛ my mangy hair could formerly be referred to as blond. ’

‛ i’m just a couple years out the clink and i’ll take showers in your kitchen sink. ’

‛ i guess i’m what you’d call a vagabond. ’

‛ i been walkin’ the highway for a while. ’

‛ fragrance of the road is my cologne. ’

‛ maybe i get some sun, maybe get a ride. ’

‛ i don’t worry none, let destiny decide. ’

‛ life’s laid back when you’re totally alone. ’

‛ life’s laid back when you’re on your own. ’

‛ see i don’t have much, don’t have much. ’

‛ don’t want much, don’t want much. ’

‛ don’t need much, don’t need much. ’

‛ don’t need much ‘cept maybe the promise of whiskey at the end of the day. ’

‛ i’m just a vagabond lookin’ for a place to stay. ’

‛ see i walk and walk and walk some more. ’

‛ i’m green grass high and a little sore, hopin’ that a car will soon appear. ’

‛ i stick out my thumb and i let it linger. ’

‛ and my eye kinda travels to the ring on my finger. ’

‛ it reminds me of a woman who’s not here. ’

‛ and my chest starts hurting, that’s just cause of the heat. ’

‛ and for the first time in days, i start feelin’ my feet. ’

‛ i start feelin’ the feelin’, the journey’s crushin’ me. ’

‛ cool it, man, just get it out of your head. ’

‛ where’s the car, where’s the car? this road’s fuckin’ dead! ’

‛ but i don’t worry, just repeat instead. ’

‛ yeah, well fleein’ ain’t a problem for me. ’

‛ cause if you get me down then i guarantee, i’ll up and leave and i never will return. ’

‛ i’ll break your heart, i’ll break your back. i won’t lose no sleep. ’

‛ shit, i can’t keep track of every bridge i use and then i burn. ’

‛ and the thought of what i’d done to you is what sends me through the desert and beyond. ’

‛ i’m up for a trade. just take me far away from mistakes i made. ’

‛ take pity on the broken vagabond. ’

‛ the promise of shelter at the end of the day, from the places where the bad bastards swarm and pray. ’

‛ with every bone in my body wanna hear you say that this vagabond can put his walkin’ shoes away. ’

NORMAN.

‛ i haven’t known her very long. ’

‛ think i can tell that something’s wrong. ’

‛ think i spy tear drops clinging to her pale white skin. ’

‛ on this dirty night, i just want her to feel alright. ’

‛ we all get a little sad sometimes. ’

‛ i want to watch her chew her food. ’

‛ i want to watch her in the nude. ’

‛ i want to watch her wash away her ugly sins. ’

‛ and if i’m caught she will not slap my hands because she understands. ’

‛ because she understands that we all act a little bad. ’

‛ we all act a little bad sometimes. ’

‛ i can see your image in picture frames looking ever so formal. ’

‛ if you rearrange the letters in both our names, you get one away from normal. ’

‛ we’re both one away from normal. ’

‛ i’ve never seen a girl like her. ’

‛ we’re not in love. i wish we were! ’

‛ put all your love inside of me. ’

‛ i’m in a trap so set me free. ’

‛ let’s go right now, the two of us, and not look back. ’

‛ and the logic might be hazy, but i’m hoping that she’s just as crazy. ’

‛ we all go a little mad sometimes. ’

‛ we all go a little mad sometimes. don’t we? ’

‛ i can tell you’re hungry and you need some food. ’

‛ if i didn’t offer i’d be awfully rude. ’

‛ it’s not fancy, it’s not stable. but join me if you’re able. ’

SONG OF THE BROWN BUFFALO.

‛ uuuh, might i ask… who the fuck are you? ’

‛ hey, white man. do you know what i am? ’

‛ i’m the brown buffalo by way of mexico. ’

‛ i am an attorney on a lifelong journey. ’

‛ never met a man i couldn’t devour. ’

‛ never met a plan i couldn’t put in place. ’

‛ they attack, i brace. they escape, i chase. ’

‛ i’m a tad temperamental, so get out my face. ’

‛ i’m mad monumental, see my dick from space! ’

‛ i am strength for the weak, i am speed for the slow. ’

‛ this is the song of the brown buffalo. ’

‛ i’m beastly and i’m brutish and my fur is caked with gore. ’

‛ i’m the trouble you’ve been looking for. ’

‛ you don’t know i’m brilliant cause you only hear my roar. ’

‛ i don’t ever hide from a fight that needs to be fought. ’

‛ i would never filter a cigarette or a thought. ’

‛ my mind is open wide and it grows and it grows. ’

‛ inhibitions cast aside, it just goes where it goes. ’

‛ see i’m a great big bad brown buffalo. ’

‛ my head is full of acid, but my heart is kind and pure. ’

‛ he’s the trouble you’ve been looking for! ’

‛ my politics are liberal, but i pack a .44. ’

‛ i pack a .44, which i use to fight for those who are too weak to wage a war. ’

‛ i’m the trouble we’ve been looking for! ’

‛ my mind is open wide, it expands, it expands. ’

‛ every open gate i pried with these hands. ’

‛ leaving no path untried, walks the sands. ’

‛ i’m no ordinary human, no no no. ’

‛ this is my birthright, baby, and this is my song! ’

‛ food, booze, drugs, guns, and radical politics! ’

‛ you’re the brown buffalo. ’

‛ see now you know. ’

MICHAEL IN THE BATHROOM.

‛ i am hanging in the bathroom at the biggest party of the fall. ’

‛ i could stay right here or disappear, and nobody’d even notice at all. ’

‛ i’m a creeper in a bathroom cause my buddy kinda left me alone. ’

‛ but i’d rather fake pee than stand awkwardly or pretend to check a text on my phone. ’

‛ everything felt fine when i was half of a pair. ’

‛ now through no fault of mine, there’s no other half there. ’

‛ now i’m just [name] in the bathroom. ’

‛ [name] in the bathroom at a party. ’

‛ forget how long it’s been. ’

‛ no, you can’t come in! ’

‛ i’m waiting it out till it’s time to leave. ’

‛ i’m just [name] who you don’t know. ’

‛ [name] flyin’ solo. ’

‛ [name] in the bathroom by himself. ’

‛ all by himself. ’

‛ i am hiding, but he’s out there, just ignoring all our history. ’

‛ memories get erased and i’ll get replaced with a newer, cooler version of me. ’

‛ i’ll get replaced with a newer, cooler version of me. ’

‛ i hear a drunk girl sing along to whitney through the door. ’

‛ now there’s no one to make fun of drunk girls with anymore! ’

‛ i half regret the beers. ’

‛ i’ll wait as long as i need till my face is dry. ’

‛ i’ll just blame it on weed or something in my eye. ’

‛ they’re gonna start to shout soon. ’

‛ oh hell yeah, i’ll be out soon! ’

‛ it sucks he left me here alone. ’

‛ here in this teenage battlezone. ’

‛ i feel the pressure blowin’ up. ’

‛ my big mistake was showin’ up. ’

‛ i throw some water in my face and i am in a better place. ’

‛ i go to open up the door, but i can’t hear knocking anymore. ’

‛ and i can’t help but yearn for a different time. ’

‛ then i look in the mirror and the present is clearer. ’

‛ this is a heinous night. ’

‛ i wish i stayed at home in bed, watching cable porn. ’

‛ wish i offed myself instead, wish i was never born! ’

‛ i’m just [name] who’s a loner, so he must be a stoner. ’

‛ god, he’s such a loser! ’

‛ all you know about me is my name. ’

‛ awesome party, i’m so glad i came. ’

THE GOODBYE SONG.

‛ the time has come. ’

‛ i’m flying away. ’

‛ mouth is numb. heart don’t know what to say. ’

‛ and although i’ll be out of sight, dear, know i’ll be right here. ’

‛ right here forever. ’

‛ and when you look to the night skies, don’t think of goodbyes. ’

‛ think how i’m right here. ’

‛ thank you for teaching me lessons. ’

‛ thank you for listening to mine. ’

‛ don’t be scared, you’ll be fine. ’

‛ come! ’

‛ no, you can’t come with me. ’

‛ stay! ’

‛ i wish i could. ’

‛ goodbye. ’

‛ i know it’s hard to say. ’

‛ i’d stay if i could. ’

‛ i’d stay if i could, but the universe won’t let me. ’

‛ but the universe won’t let me, so please be good. ’

‛ so please be good and don’t you forget me. ’

KABOOM.

‛ i never cared about caring much before. ’

‛ i rolled my eyes and even texting was a chore. ’

‛ i was your average heartless kid. ’

‛ hey, read this book. ’

‛ the book is by some guy who’s dead. ’

‛ i read it and i’m glad i did. ’

‛ it was by a person who i never knew, but the words made sense and the message too. ’

‛ the words made sense and message too. ’

‛ it made me fired up, it made me care. ’

‛ i wasn’t scared, i was not alone. ’

‛ made me wanna make something of my own. ’

‛ something wired up that i could share. ’

‛ and that person i would never see just totally affected me. ’

‛ is that legacy? ’

‛ i never cared about fireworks before. ’

‛ i thought that they were just for babies, nothing more. ’

‛ i was your average fucking kid. ’

‛ i was your average fucking kid, but then i started giving things a second look. ’

‛ but then i started giving things a second look and realized fireworks were kind of like that book. ’

‛ and i’m really glad i did. ’

‛ if handled with intelligence and care, the explosion and the crashing sound can seen and felt for miles around. ’

‛ it reaches folks who weren’t even there. ’

‛ even though i didn’t see the blast, i watched glitter in the sky blow past. ’

‛ and that’s legacy. ’

‛ what do i leave behind? ’

‛ which is why we gotta make a spark. ’

‛ which makes a flame and then will leave its mark for someone else to find. ’

‛ and that person who lived dangerously makes me braver than i used to be. ’

‛ and now i’m fired up and how i care. ’

‛ and i always squeeze my bloody heart and i let it drip into my art. ’

‛ and wow, i’m fired up. ’

‛ the light that shines on the distant shore is the light i will be aiming for, forever. ’

‛ it’s where i want to go. ’

‛ and i’m gonna reach it. ’

‛ oh, on with the wonderful show! ’