From the musical play Success!

Download the piano/vocal score.

I have forgiven you

GREGORY Nicholas, I'VE BEEN PAINTING
SO MUCH. IT'S NICE.
IT'S NOT A CHORE, LIKE BEFORE.
IT'S NOT A RACE.

AND WHEN I PAINT.
I'M GONE. I'M LOST.
THERE'S NOTHING ON EARTH
I COULD POSSIBLY WANT.

IN THOSE ENDLESS MOMENTS.
I'M NOT TRYING TO GAIN TRACTION.
EACH PAINTING IS A PAINTING,
NOT A STEP IN ANY DIRECTION.

IT USED TO BE LABOR, BUT NOW
IMAGES COME.
THEY JUST FLOW.
WHO KNOWS HOW LONG IT WILL LAST.

(NICHOLAS, who has been listening the entire time, turns his head to look at GREGORY.)

NICHOLAS (in a weak voice) Well, well. Listen to you.

GREGORY Nicholas! You're awake. Nurse!

NICHOLAS Shhh! I don't want her to come.
I want to look at you. (a beat) You're not a mess.
You almost look handsome.
You're a success.

GREGORY I'm not doing too bad.
Nicholas, YOU TOLD ME YOUR REASONS
FOR DOING WHAT YOU DID.
AND I'VE GOT A DOZEN
WHY I SHOULD BE MAD,
BUT I HAVE FORGIVEN YOU
I HAVE FORGIVEN YOU.

I SHOULD STAND UP AND LEAVE
SPIT INSULTS AT YOU,
BUT I KNOW I COULDN'T HAVE
DONE IT WITHOUT YOU.

I'VE FORGIVEN YOU
I HAVE FORGIVEN—

NICHOLAS YOU KNOW WHEN YOU RHAPSODIZE, GREGORY,
GET ALL SENTIMENTAL, MY MEMORY
FLASHES TO THE NIGHT YOU CAME TO LIVE WITH US.
DR. ZHIVAGO MADE SUCH A FUSS.

(Music continues under the following)

NICHOLAS He wanted to make your first night special.
Where was mother again—?

GREGORY She left. She left us.

NICHOLAS Oh, yes. She left. Where did she go?
Somewhere far away. But never mind.
You slept upstairs in my bedroom.
I slept in the unfinished guest room below.

On a hard floor that hadn't seen a broom
Since the dawn of mankind.

GREGORY God. What you must have gone through, Nicholas.

NICHOLAS You sobbed and whimpered the whole night through.
There you were, the luckiest child anywhere,
And you couldn't stop crying. Father was up there.
I could hear his voice, consoling you so intently.
I'd never heard him speak so lovingly, so gently.
Oh, Gregory, How I hate you…

GREGORY:

YOU DON'T MEAN THAT.

LET'S FORGET IT.

WHAT'S DONE IS DONE.

NICHOLAS LISTEN, LISTEN.

I NEVER ASKED FOR THAT.

I NEVER WANTED IT.

I DON'T HATE YOU.

YOU'RE MY BROTHER.

I FORGIVE YOU.

I STILL LOVE YOU.

NICHOLAS:

HOW I WISH IT WERE YOU IN THIS BODY CAST.
I'D PULL THE PLUG ON YOU SO FAST.
I'VE NEVER FORGIVEN YOU
I'VE NEVER FORGIVEN YOU

GREGORY!

EVERTHING I COULD HAVE HADWAS GIVEN TO YOU.
AND YOU TOOK IT. YOU TOOK IT WILLINGLY.
ALL I ASK IN RETURN IS THAT YOU HATE ME TOO.

I'VE NEVER FORGIVEN YOU.
I'VE NEVER FORGIVEN YOU.

I have forgiven you

reclinerland hq

Powered by Squarespace