Bookraft

The Woman with No Hands
After L'Absinthe by Degas
adapted from the Mary Mullowney original

I am the woman with no hands.

I think I had them.
How else could I don this hat ?
And the rakish angle is for you rube.
Let me tie this scarf for you.

Hey I can spill as much mustard on this scarf as I wish.
Did I eat mustard?
So there ... I must have had hands.

Did I dress in this striped skirt?
Maybe it's on backwards.
Is that a mirror behind me ?
Nahhh we're no shadows on wallpaper.

Sheez - I'm afraid to turn my head from dizziness.

Do I know M.Noir, sulking next to me?
No he is like my shoes -
white fluffy chrysanthemums
He is my bed slippers.

I want to sleep.
I don't need hands.

If if ... if
if I can just tip
my head forward
I can sip
from the chalice
blessed green.
A grace will ignite my veins
a fire burn my fingers
reminding me where my hands are.

Now I remember where they are -
You can fuzz off rube.

JBSurveyer is in trouble with
Mary Agnes Mullowney

M.Noir

What you see is ... well you see
it is intemperance.
She is well dressed intemperance -
a sort of lack of will
it is everywhere.
it is the national disease
the bourgeoise pastime.

Pastime ....
And well I know
I have a had nose for these things
not just pipedreams but a real nose.
Why the other day M.LaTrompe
even the pompous Monsieur
He said I had an eye for these things.
And I do, I whisk one way
and the next
Noting down everything
Putting it in my pouch
or even better in my head.
I have a big brain
so I can put things under my hat -
So to speak.
he he he
I make a joke.

Past time ?
No its far from past time
You see she may have handcuffs
And may just go away hat askew
But I ....
I have all my ideas
they are all under my hat
Big ideas.

Dramatic monologues in the style of the Brownings
courtesy of M.Mullowney and J.Surveyer