for mezzo-soprano, bassoon, and piano
A Certain AgePERUSALSCORE
Kamala Sankaram 2023
PERUSALSCORE
A Certain
Age for mezzo-soprano, bassoon, and piano
PERUSALSCORE
Kamala Sankaram
TEXTS
IndianSummerbyDorothyParker
Inyouth,itwasawayIhad Todomybesttoplease, Andchange,witheverypassinglad, Tosuithistheories.
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ButnowIknowthethingsIknow, AnddothethingsIdo; Andifyoudonotlikemeso, Tohell,mylove,withyou!
WildThingbyJudithViorst
Iwentforawalkinthesunwithoutwearingmysunscreen Iwentoutoftownwithoutmakingareservation. Iplacedmymouthdirectlyonapublicdrinkingfountain Andtookasip
Ididn’tbotherflossingmyteethbeforebedtime Ipumpedmyowngasolineataself-servicestation Iatethedeviledegginsteadofthecauliflowerwithlow-fatyogurtdip. Ibought,withoutreadingConsumerReports,anewdryer. Ileftmycheckingaccountunreconciled Iknowthattheconsequencescouldbedire Butsometimesawomansimplyhastorunwild
AlphabetbyJudithViorst
A’sforarthritis
B’sforbadback
Cisforchestpains.Cornedbeef?Cardiac? Disfordentaldecayanddecline. Eisforeyesight–can’treadthattopline. Fisforfissuresandfluidretention. Gisforgas(whichI’drathernotmention)
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Andothersuchgastrointestinalglitches. Hishighbloodpressure
Iisforitches
Jisforjointthatarefailingtoflex L’sforlibido–what’shappenedtosex? Wait!IforgotaboutKforbadknee (I’vegotafewgapsinmyM–memory)
N’sfornerve(pinched)andneck(stiff)andneurosis
Oisforosteo
P’sforporosis
Qisforqueasiness.Fatal?Justflu?
Risforreflux–onemealbecomestwo Sisforsleeplessnightscountingmyfears Tisfortinnitus–bellsinmyears
Uisfordifficultiesurinary. Visforvertigo
W’sworry
AboutwhatthexasinXraywillfind
Butthoughtheword“terminal”rushestomind, I’mproudaseachY–year–goesbytoreveal AreservoirofundiminishedZ–zeal–
Forcheckingthesymptomsmybody’sdeployed Andkeepingmytwenty-sixdoctorsemployed.
TheBestofItbyKayRyan
Howevercarvedup orpareddownweget, wekeeponmaking thebestofitasthough itdoesn'tmaerthat ouracre’sdownto asquarefoot.As thoughourgarden couldbeonebean andwe'drejoiceif itflourishesas thoughonebean couldnourishus.
Happiness(Reconsidered)byJudithViorst
Happiness
Isacleanbillofhealthfromthedoctor, Andthekidsshouldn’tmovebackhomefor Morethanayear; Andnotbeingaudited,overdrawn,inWilkes-Barre Inalawsuitorintraction.
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Happiness
IsfallingasleepwithoutValium
Andhavingtwobreaststoputinmybrassiere
Andnot(yet)needingtogetmybloodpressurelowered, Myeyelidsraisedorasecondopinion
AndonSaturdaynights
WhenmyhusbandandIhaverented SomethingwithFredAstairefortheVCR, Andwe’resiingaroundinourrobesdiscussing, Thestateoftheworld,ourKeoughs, Andwhethertofixthetransmissionorbuyanewcar, Andwe’reeatingapintofrum-raisinicecream
Onthegroundsthat
Tomorrowwe’restartingadietoffish,fruit,andgrain Andmydad’sinMiamidatingaverynicewidow, Andnooneweloveisinserioustroubleorpain, Andourbringing-up-babydaysarefarbehindus Butoursenior-citizendayshavenotbegun, It’snotwhatIcalledhappiness WhenIwastwenty-one, Butit’sturningouttobe Whathappinessis
Instrumentation
Mezzo-Soprano
Duration: 11'
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First printing, March 2024
Copyright ©2023 Kamala Sankaram. All Rights Reserved.
Program Note Copyright ©2023 Kamala Sankaram. All Rights Reserved
Published by Just a Theory Press | www.justatheorypress.com
Bassoon Piano
DorothyParker
forMezzo-Soprano,Bassoon,andPiano
1.IndianSummer
Kamala Sankaram
bother - flossing - myteethbefore - bedtime.
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cayanddecline. - Eisforeyesight. - Can'treadthattopline. Fisforfissures - and
fluid - reten - -tion. Gisforgas(whichI'drather - notmention) - And f othersuch f
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Xray - willfindButthoughthewordtermi - -nalrushes - tomind,I'm
WilkesBarre, - inalawsuit, - orintraction. -
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Sankaram: A Certain Age JAT-138-004-SP
