SONG OF SONGS
(CHOREO-POEM)
BY
DANIEL APPIAH-ADJEI
MAY, 2015
DRAMATIS PERSONNAE
MAN LOVER
LADY LOVER
WATCHMAN
SCENE ONE
A love music from the Methodist Hymnal with a choreography opens the scene. A young man well dressed in Adwini-asaKente Cloth or a suit (The Director’s discretion) for a wedding appears on stage with a dance movement. He stands Down-right of the stage gazing brightly at the audience. A sound depicting loving waves flows the wind ushering in a young beautiful lady also dressed in Adwini-asaKente or wedding gown (The Director’s discretion). She enters from Up-centre, and moves Down-left of the stage. She takes a romantic look at the young man, and then stares blankly at the audience as if in a deep thought.
Lady
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth (towards the young man). Your love is more delightful than mine. (Smells him) Aaashhh, pleasing is the fragrance of your perfume. Your name is like perfume poured out of its container….Ah! No wonder the maidens love you. (Stretches her arms). Take me away with you. Let us hurry. Let the king bring me into his chamber……My friends rejoice and delight in you. We will praise your love, more than wine. How right they are to adore you! (Breaks away from him).
Dark am I, yet lovely,
O daughters of Jerusalem
Dark like the tents of Kedar
Like the tent curtains of Solomon
Do not stare at me because I am dark
Because I am darkened by the sun.
Man
Oh! How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh! How beautiful! Your eyes are doves…
Lady
Oh! How handsome you are, my lover. Oh! How charming! And your bed is sweet. (Sings) Odoyedesen sika, odoyedesen sika…se mene me dofonamm’aniagyemoroso….
Man
You are the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys. The lily among the thorns is my darling among the maidens…
Lady
Like an apple tree among young men. I delight to sit in your shade, and your fruit is sweet to my taste. Your banner over me is love. Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with sweet apples for I am faint with love. (They embrace each other) Daughters of my world, I charge you, do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires…
Man
My lover is mine and I am hers; she browses among the lilies. Until the day breaks and the shadows flee…..Turn my lover, turn like a gazelle or like a young stag on the rugged hills. (She turns towards him) Sit by my side (Sings with a guitar accompaniment) Tena menkyenna me mmo wo nkomo bi, menkommonyina ne de mene wo do nkrofonteasee, Baby tenamenkyenna me mmo wo nkommo bi menkomonyina ne de meyewapedeama wo nkoaa (Papa Yankson’s song can be played. As they get close to each other, the man leaves slowly away from the lady as she sleeps soundly)
Lady
(Waking up suddenly) All night long on my bed, I looked for the one my heart loves; I looked for him but did not find him. I will get up now and shout through the city, its streets and squares; I will search for the one my heart loves. I looked for him but did not find him… (Enter the Watchman with his Torch-light flashing it about) The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city (To the watchman) Have you seen the one my heart loves?
Watchman
Who is this coming from the desert like a column of smoke perfumed with myrrh and incense made from all the spices of the merchant? (The Man emerges through the smoke)
Man
(Stretching his arms towards the lady). Come my love…How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh! How beautiful! Your eyes behind your veil are doves. Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from Mount Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn, coming up from the washing…Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon; your mouth is lovely. Your neck is like the Tower of David, built with elegance. Your two breasts are like two fawns, like twin fawns of a gazelle that brows among the lilies. Come with me my bride. You have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes. How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride (shouts) I love you!
Lady
Your lips drops sweetness as the honey comb; milk and honey are under your tongue. The fragrance of your garments is like that of Lebanon… (Produces Fruits) Eat Oh! My friend, and drink your fill, Oh! My lover….
Man
Am I better than others, most handsome and rich of men? How? Am I better than others that you charge me so?
Lady
My lover! You are radiant and ruddy. Outstanding among ten thousand. Your head is purest gold, your hair is very wavy and black as a raven. Your eyes are like doves by the water streams washed in milk. Your cheeks are like beds of spice yielding perfume. Your arms are rods and gold. Ah! Your body is like polished ivory decorated with sapphires. Aw! (To the audience) My lover’s legs are pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. And I say! His mouth is sweetness itself. In fact, he is altogether lovely. This is my lover ….
Man
Oh! How beautiful you are and how pleasing, O! Love with your delights! Your stature is like that of the palm, and your breasts like clusters of fruit. I say… I will climb the palm tree; I will take hold of its fruits. May your breasts be like apples and your mouth like the best wine…
Lady
May your wine go straight into me…my lover, flowing gently over lips and teeth. I belong to my lover, and his desire is for me. Come my lover, let us go to the country side, let us spend the night in the delighted villages…Let us go early to the vineyards to see if the vines Have budded, if the blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates are in bloom… there I will give you all my love, every delicacy, both new and old; that I have stored up for you, my lover…
Man
Under the apple tree I roused you; there your mother conceived you; there she who was in labour gave you birth. Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm, for love is as strong as death; its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers…rivers cannot wash it away…..
Come away, my lover
Come away, my lover
(They Fall into each other’s arms as man kisses her and shoves her Away)
The End
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