A Ritual for a Cabin
Daniel Brothers
2/14/2021
A Ritual for a Log Cabin
Mom new: A mother of a family with a cabin in the Adirondacks
Mom Old: The first mother of that same family to stay there
Lovers new: Two young foolish people, of a simple disposition
Lovers old: Two young foolish people, in more ways than one
Brothers New: Difficult financial decisions makers.
Brothers old: Investors in more than wealth
Children new: Kids who have been exposed to too much life experience for their age
Children old: Kids who have been exposed to too little life experience for their age
All told: A voice in the darkness
All told:
The darkness of the stage
Before a performance begins
holds something in it.
A tension broken only by a sound
And a light
[A light clicks on over Mom New's head]
Mom New:
We dream of lives that aren't our own,
of children safe but far from home
their laughter heals my mortal soul
Our Dreams are not our own
[A light opposite of her, in parallel, reveals mom old]
Mom Old:
We thought our home would never die
though acid poured out of the sky
hiding, but not asking why
so we would never die
Both Mom's:
We hold on to whatever we can
our cabin, our boat, our plot of land
and family, if they take the stand
will need our guiding hand
[The mothers become silhouetted as new light reveals the lovers new below Mom new, and the lovers old below mom old. The lovers speak to their loves]
Lover's new 1
Trapped but living in your view
Lovers old 1
long months until our passion grew
Lovers new 2
Taking down, to build anew
Lovers old 2
Living for loving you.
Together all
We hold on to what matters most
our hearts, our lives back on the coast
till unified with the holy host
we'll save what matters most
[The lovers dance backwards into silhouette leaving their light, as the children new and old enter into it. The children old play jump rope or hopscotch, the children new are setting up a fort and taking photos of it. The light on both moms becomes such that we can see their faces as they watch the kids play]
Children old:
One two three four five six seven
jump high enough and go into heaven
Seven six five four three two one
if you chase a bear you better run
Mother old
Children
[Children old run into the shadows
Children New (not in rhythm)
Should we make it more colorful?
No i think that would be pretty lame
Can you make the lighting better?
Not unless you change the frame
Mother New
Can you two come help me in here?
[children new look up and scamper into the shadows, switching places with children old]
Children all
Finding out just what to do
when the fish and bears are black and blue
and our parents might just not be true
Where to go, what to do?
[They run off different directions as the two sets of brothers appear in a central spot on the stage standing in a circle, and talking to each other. Each line a different brother than the next]
Brothers
Its for the best
a challenge to face
they'll get some rest
we'll sell the place
The world outside is cold and hard
the lake is quiet, the forests charred
the choices made, the gate is barred
I hope our family is not scarred
Brothers in unison
We'll move forward however we can
a cabin, a boat, a plot of land
a bird in the bush worth two in the hand
we're doing all that we can
The brothers are now joined by the mothers, one on each side like a guardian angel. They speak together as the light slowly builds to see the children and the lovers dancing around this very serious display
Brothers and Mothers
The choices made come at a cost
what we have seen we have now lost
dark waters hide a bitter frost
as we scratch out the letters once embossed
We dream that we will be coming back
though our family feels under attack
water bubbles turning black
Cabin Adirondacks.
[In unison the mothers and the brothers make a cut off motion as the children and the lovers fall over from their playing and dancing. The brothers shake hands and leave the mothers on stage, the mothers bow their heads and look up, as the lights fade to black. ]
All Told
The actions seen upon the stage
Strike harder than thoughts on a page
Not only for the heart engaged
but for the mind enraged
Though darkness takes this family dark
and hides their tale of broken heart
the feeling, having taken part
will hold, till you depart.
[end]