quiet kitchen

exclusive to bobjudeferrante.com

Sit on the chair,
cling, lascivious, to silence.
The warm cup nestles,
warms the hand.
Peace passes through veins
and surfaces on skin,
bringing goose bumps.

Clothes soak in soap.
The heater, buzzes, ringing.
This cup
is all I’ve asked.

before night

exclusive to bobjudeferrante.com

Shadows of figures
spread on the slate,
tremble at dusk’s onset,
move along the way.

Shadows of figures,
stretch, fade, grow gray,
as the light weakens
move along the way.

Shadows of figures,
silenter than leaves,
leave not a whisper
move along the way.

Shadows of figures,
spread on the clay,
tremble at dusk’s onset,
Move alone, away.

bloom

exclusive to bobjudeferrante.com

I walking Earth trod on
by all. I am floating cloud
gray changing. I am
fat mountain born not of seed.

You passing rain, fallen
in the eyes and swimming fish
silver. Borne you were
of stone and feathers and blood.

We tear core from peach
plunge bodies in the fruit.
Let the juice run down our faces,
and lick our wounds.

light

When you found me, I was heavy,
face pressed against dry leaves.

You lifted me in your arms
smashed your lips against my lips.

You breathed for me,
filled me with breath.

Deep inside, the light stirred—
the sun began to throb.

Fingers deepened and uncurled
and pale shoots filled with light.

Now leaves pulse in the green wind
and flowers thrust with want.

image antique

holes in the cardboard
frame, yellow, brittle,
eaten by insects

they dance, frozen
patterns of silver nitrite
on cracked paper

soon gone.
already changed.

The Last Days of Paradise

A strange woman is incarcerated at The Tombs… a dank, dismal, medieval New York jail. And a reluctant Public Defender gradually digs to discover the truth about the “Apart” and the heart of their mystery… “what son of a bitch killed your dream?”

Details

cast: 4, 2F 2M
set: Unit set (basement)
length: 40 minutes

Productions & Publications

Published: The Best Stage Scenes 1999

Freefalling

Bartender Maureen Bacon finds out her ex-boyfriend—mob boss Bob McMahan—wants to seize custody of their daughter Barbara. In a hail of bullets, Maureen stages a final, desperate fight to free Barbara from McMahan’s clutches forever.

Details

cast: 5, 2F 3M
set: Bar (can be done site-specifically in a real bar)
length: 25 minutes

Memory Motel

Tabitha only wanted to be someone—anyone. Then one late night chance meeting changed her forever. Now she’s locked a priest into a confessional until he’ll help prevent her becoming what she can’t avoid.

Details

cast: 5, 1F 4M
set: Unit set (church confessional, parking lot, motel room)
length: 40 minutes