(A Carnival Drama in Three Short Acts)
Thema the Witch
had but one wish.
[Enter poor Thema
with a megaphone
through which she,
caught somewhere
between moan and
drone, delivers this
bit:] “Hello, I am
Thema and I
have but one itch,
and that’s to be regal
and sit on a throne.”
Then Thema departs
having offered her pitch.
Enter the wretched
Thecla the Witch.
There is but one thing
for which this witch longs,
and if you’ll only just listen
she’s telling you now:
“Oh, to be famous,”
she practically scowls,
“Oh, to be famous
and have my own throng!”
Once that is delivered,
just as quick as she’d
come, poof! she has
exited, she is AWOL,
Thecla’s gone.
Last, but not least,
is our comic relief
(only she doesn’t know it,
the foolish ding-dong!).
It’s Thisbe the clown,
and this witch is renowned
for her true aspiration’s
quite hard to believe.
But she goes about saying
so all the day long (and
this little secret’s be-
tween you and me,
she’s happy to demonstrate
for a small fee). “Thisbe,
come closer,” beckons
Byron the barker. And she
shyly obliges then she
breaks out in song
at a tempo that slows
by the time it is done
to a slow and increa-
singly alluring crawl.
She sings: “Oh, to be
naked," our Thisbe
goes on, singing,
“Oh, to be naked,
except for a thong.”
