Excerpt from Paolina; Tempest World, a poetic adaptation of the Tempest

this piece was performed at the Whitney Museum  ISP in 2002. I put it away and just opened it for the first time in years. I am typing parts I wrote, minus stage directions,minus the Shakespeare, which looses a lot because all characters split to Shakespeare's words throughout the play, except for Prospero. For example, with every Paolina poem is the actual Miranda conversation with her father Prospero or interactions with Caliban and Ferdinand or the storm. Also, there were video walls that projected these figures as well as real time projections of the poet Paolina writing some of these words, as well as ( I know this may sound funny)projections from the film the Matrix, as the Hero archetype was actually Keanu Reeves and then the actual Ferdinand was played by various actors, Ferdinands, until one  emerges. This work was a collaboration with Joumana Rizk, who directed it, and manyother video artists and a  composers, as the music was original. Because I am just transcribing the Paolina character, it maybe hard to get a feel for the work as a whole, so I invite you to read other posts.

PART ONE

PAOLINA

I am holding myself

I keep seeing lights

Robes of yellow

Pink Saris

Orange bodies chasing freedom

Dashing across the fence

scattered for happy life

Paolina hears the sound sudden thunder 

I know you are all my voyeurs

I know you see me exposed

I am alienated yes I know

I am self obsessed yes I know

Don't you see how you're all part of my slef pity game

I am now in the process of objectifying myself

I need this like a beggar needs to beg

I have no self

Now I want you all to cry for me you lambs

I'm more sophisticated than you

I'm a princess

The sound of waves is heard

 I flow in dazzling lavender

Terrified I will be shot

I am leaving my body

It is not my time to go

Arid rocks

scattered on these manly ridges

Grated by these Aegean cliffs

Fast rushing dry speed

where the horizon line 

meets my base demonstrations 

me as young and yin

p3 of 29

PAOLINA
I remember I was little
And my mother let me
lick sugar off her nipples
this happened twice I think


PROSPERO
I do not think thou canst, for then thou was not
three years old


MIRANDA
                     Certainly Sir I can

PROSPERO
By what? By any other house or person?
Of anything the image tell me that
Hath kept thy rememberence

PAOLINA
I don't know
what can I count
Numbers easier than
wordy life
lofty tinges and
lemon lines incisions
Tiny reminders


PAOLINA
Daddy why are you taking the cat Spooky
In her case
Carrying her
In your arm
Don't push the elevatyor button
Dont put your foot outside
don't close the door
dont leave me inside
come back
come
here I am in
front of you
in the hallway
Torna
torna
I see you big in the elevator light
I'm here in the hall
Please dont take her
Don't take Spooky
I'm better than her
I'm here
hear me
Take me
Me
Ow
me
ow
meow
you leave me
alone instead

p6 of 29

PAOLINA

I was told I was a princess
I was told not to be a lamb
that regular people will take things from me
that regular people lie
that regular people will believe anything you tell them
so who's a "regular people"

Titles are like corns under your toes
they need to be kept quiet
tightly strapped under sandals



Spastic colon
Space cadet
Sprinkling snow flakes
Systemic overload

I see so many people with watery eyes
I dont know what to say to them
I dont want to talk anymore


Does my center fade
Defeated
Cords pull hard
over calloused scabs
Taught
tremendously drawn
fore swear forever today

p7of 29

MIRANDA

and now I pray you sir

For tis still beating in my mind, your reason

For raising me in this sea storm?

PROSPERO

Here cease more questions

Thou art inclined to sleep

PAOLINA

You tell me not to laugh

to resist the tickling feeling

Your fuzzy chest hair on my face

PROSPERO

Tis a good dullness

PAOLINA 

The shudder of warmth grows over me

My toes my stomach

Inside everywhere

Bursts of light I hold it in

I don't laugh

PROSPERO

Give it way

PAOLINA 

I dont laugh

No noise

The jooy inside me 

Remains tight lipped and silent

Like you told me

PROSPERO

I know that thou canst choose

PAOLINA

cold fire burns upward

Rings surround my heart

My throut dries black

Deep emptiness

Vacancy unfulfilled

I will not speak again

I refuse to step up to the mark

p13

PAOLINA

smile for slime

Money slime

green yellow ooze between your pants slime

smile and take the money honey

Just don't be a hysterical bitch on wheels

 PAOLINA

porcupines and baby lions are best friends

no one wants to touch them or play with them

because they have sharp spines and teeth

But their pointy pricks

Pluck only those pilfering pundits who prey on their pure hearts

Everyone else is safe

Slurpy and smells sumptuously

So Soft Silly Billy

Let's play

PROSPERO
Hag seed hence! Fetch us fuel
And be quick, thou'rt best,
To answer other business.
Shrugst thou, malice?

PART TWO

PAOLINA
I am still holding myself
Alone
Tears flow forever
my kidneys wither


FERDINAND THE  HERO


PAOLINA
dreaming in a big white bed
a sea of love flows under me
Away thought away
washed inside this blurry realm
and into slumbers peaceful reign


FERDINAND (voice over)
Rowing
A stroke is all I can do
To strike my hand and cloud all that is empty
Time
Lines and landscapes
cross through me]Charting my
Boat keeping time
To strike my oar
so that the ripple continues
Standards and lapses
For me to be inspired
Not struck down
I watch the arch and jump


PAOLINA
Black Prince Italy awaits you
To cradle you in wind chimes
Ginger and dry anonymous chamomile

PAOLINA(singing)
Grand Old River envelop me in velvet blue
Grand Old River how can I ever feel new
The ages of remorse have carved at my bitter frame
While I have no more
strength to soak up all this rain

FERDINAND
Where should this music be? In the air or in the earth?


PAOLINA
worn are my hands
Arid is my heart
I serve as mere kindling
In Father's eternal spark

FEDINAND
This music crept by me upon the waters
Allaying both their fury and my passion
with its sweet air

PAOLINA
If this twig fell in the blue
The Grand Old River would carry me through
He'd float above the heaviness
Be washed into the cleanliness

(speaking only)
O, River please let him fall
For he is too weak to stand tall

p18
PAOLINA
all I have is Teddy
He's my love since four
He's big eared
He's no neck
He's nice
I like him more than me
When my building explodes I'm only saving him
I don't care if there's fire
I'm running in to it
To get him safe

p21
 PAOLINA

my mother
mine
mesmerize me
momentarily

 p22

CALIBAN
the rake's combs scratch this islands earth
and sift its fallen leaves
and like our feeble hearts desire
we see these leaves as dreams
Dreams that we remember at this a golden hour
When all the sky gives forth
A veil to cover us in power

PAOLINA
Now that time has passed
and swept away my woes
So I have no more room to pine
for changes to bestow
Resigned am I to heavens wish
As humble as this may be
For like the oceans thick white cream
I float an laugh and beam

PAOLINA
who are you
My eyes burn and throbto feel my heart again
I cant see our face in this visual
Nose thick hair my man
how do I know what's good for me

FERDINAND
I do beseech you
Ciefly that I might set it in my prayers,
What is your name?

MIRANDA
Miranda

p24
PAOLINA
You tickled my curious fancies
in the labyrinth of your gaze
like singing marmots who make
tight delicate incisions inside luscious aloe leaves


p26 FERDINAND and PAOLINA  read these at the same time interspersed but not answerring
PAOLINA
Brush my hair
my love
Strand by Strand
Feeling my
warmth sink
I trust that slow
ease
A gentle touch
Over my temple
A smoothing
stroke
Under my nape
An arching caress
through my chord
My love my love
I trust that slow ease

 FERDINAND
I want to learn to be beautiful
True love never knew any limits
let's see how delicate we can be
I want to be touched by you gently
Why do you love me
Can I relax into you?
Can I feel safe enough to sleep?
Can I give you my peace of mind?
We lead each other beyond the river
Of fire
First floating on islands of ice
That spin, rock and dwindle away
Melting under us
Tipping over us
Launching us into the falls of truth

p27 of 29
CALIBAN and MIRANDA speak together, she starts after "icey lakes"

CALIBAN
Il vero amore non ha mai conosciuto
misura
show me the fire of tumbling blades
cut me with the cash of green meadows
I love to love your children's fathers
and smooth over the bahs of bleating babes
give me just a moment on the hills cliff
Enough to drop me over the petals of rays
hold me through the clouds
and pulling me over the icy lakes
I can feel the clean air filling me with
 strength
I can I am I yes I am courage
And carried beyond beyond
I know you are moving with me
Sideways floating shifts of falling ice
charging under aching bellies
Smash me pieces and blow me coolly
I am now diffused in all things

MIRANDA
Hence bashful cunning!
And prompt e plain and holy
innocence!
I am your wife,if you will marry me,
If not I'll die your maid. To be your
fellow
You, may deny me,; but I'll be your servant,
Whether you will or no.

PAOLINA
I search for God, I search for my face
I have already seen it's outline
Ad now I strive to incarnate myself
Malevich, Essay On Infinity, 1906

PROSPERO
Now all my charms are overthrown
And what strength I have's my own,
Which is most faint.
And in my despair
Unless I be relieved by prayer,
Which pierces so that it assaults
As from crimes would pardoned be
Let your indulgence set me free

VOICES
May the whole world be blessed with peace and harmony
Lokha Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu

p28 of 29
PAOLINA
now I can rest in the light
 Only here in my quiet yellow inside
that is kept clean by a purple circle
I am back in my family of waves
the time reliable flow of even measurements
and predictable dispersion
order gliding walls
as heavy as iron
where I can float
lightly without fear


Hi Tempest world
I am Paolina

I am safe now I am the dot
with a purple purpose
the kiss of peace
the egg
and the water cleans
us all