Jon Fosse - Fosse - Plays Six

such big trees

and such big birds

laughs to herself

yes

yes big birds

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no the birds are not as big as houses

but they’re still big

very big

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and you can hear songs

in Rambuku

fine songs

sung by voices

so very thin and light

so very deep and dark

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and the songs

they swing

like the thin branches of a tree

in a strong wind

laughs to herself

yes the voices swing

round and round

they are fine songs

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and the sea there

in Rambuku

is as blue and deep

as the bluest sky

and the waves there

yes they are like clouds

and when you get there

yes to Rambuku

you don’t feel cold and you don’t feel pain

I know that

You can look forward to it

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yes

yes look forward to it

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It’s true

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For that’s how it is

in Rambuku

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And in Rambuku

there are good people

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there I can be with

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mum

dad

my sister

my grandparents

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for they are in Rambuku

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and those who live there

in Rambuku

they understand everything

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yes you can see it in the light of their eyes

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in the sudden light of their eyes

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don’t you agree

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yes I know you agree

don’t you

don’t you agree

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why can’t you answer

say something

don’t just stand there

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you must say something

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but of course you agree

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because you know

of course

that it’s like that

in Rambuku

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and of course you know

that today we are going

to Rambuku

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how could I think

that you don’t know that

for you and I

standing here

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are ready to go to Rambuku

Everything is ready

And today it will happen

I know that

yes

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for now

today

Rambuku is coming

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and then we shall go

across seas

across land

across sky and sea

and all the way to Rambuku

you and I shall go

and there we shall be

and live in Rambuku’s being

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there I shall live in a song

she laughs briefly to herself, quite short pause

I shall live in Rambuku’s song

She laughs a little to herself

And we shall be together

in Rambuku

you and I

in a house

which is not a house

in a day

which is not a day

in a night

which is not a night

yes

yes there

in Rambuku

shall we be

you and I

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and everything’s ready

everything

yes

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everything

everything that can be done

has been done

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and I’ve spent many years

getting it ready

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yes you know that

Quite short pause

You know that

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But you don’t say anything

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no matter what I say

you just stand there

and look and look

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But you

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can hear the song

from Rambuku

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how could I’ve thought

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that you couldn’t hear the song

and not know that today’s the day

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when Rambuku will open up

Short pause

Today Rambuku is coming

so now

yes

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yes now it’s over

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now

now this is over

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now

do you understand that

now this no longer exists

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for now Rambuku shall begin

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and I know you can hear the song

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from Rambuku

can you hear it

the song is far away

and very near

yes it is

can you hear it

can you hear Rambuku sing

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yes

yes I know you can

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I know you can hear Rambuku sing

for everyone who listens

can hear Rambuku sing

Quite loudly

Rambuku shall come to us

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and it’ll happen today

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and then we shall no longer be

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in this unbearable here

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here

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for I don’t want to be here

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here

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everyone just walks around and sees

the one they think is the other

but it’s themselves they see

they don’t see others

they see something small and petty

they see themselves

yes

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here you can see neither

sky nor ocean

no one can

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and the angels cannot be

here

the light cannot shine

here

and here we have been

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here

here

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where everything’s empty

empty and empty

and alike and alike

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here it’s like that

but in Rambuku everything is

both unlike and alike

in its bursting abundance

how many years have I not been

here with you

you and I have been here

always here

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year in and year out

have we been here

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but we won’t be here

any longer

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for after all these years

Rambuku is coming

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I don’t understand it

I don’t understand myself

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yes that I’ve been here

I shouldn’t have been here

with you

you and I shouldn’t have been here

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for no one can be here

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but why don’t you say something

why don’t you answer

say something

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don’t just stand there

straight up and down

that you just stand there

and look and look

always the same

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you don’t say anything

just stand there

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but now

tosses it aside

now it’s gone

now there’s nothing left

now it’s all finished

now I don’t have to watch

that you just stand there

and look and look

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For it’s not like that in Rambuku

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you are not like that in Rambuku

do you understand what I’m saying

you’re not like that in Rambuku

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