Poem: "The Dangerous Thing About Musicals"
This poem is spillover from the February 6, 2024 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from Dreamwidth users Wyld_dandelyon, Nsfwords, Readera, and See_also_friend. It also fills the "Nonsexual Touch" square in my 2-1-24 card for the Valentines Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by Anthony Barrette. It belongs to the series Polychrome Heroics.
WARNING: The protagonist's theme song is an earworm, he has Music Inducement, and that kind of thing sometimes works even across dimensions.
Warning: This poem also contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the more detailed warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes dysfunctional family dynamics, public use of superpowers, singing and dancing in public, emotional blurting, interruption of someone else's performance, accidental upcharging of superpowers, fistfight, blood, minor medical details, police (being helpful), emotional upheavals, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
"The Dangerous Thing About Musicals"
[Saturday, November 30, 2013]
Gordon strolled through
the sidewalk sale that filled
several blocks of Santa Barbara.
The afternoon was still warm
but starting to cool down, and
a damp breeze riffled the air
with the smell of apple cider.
The sun shone in a blue sky,
but it was sinking in the west.
Gordon bought a few things, like
a handsome plaid scarf and
an album of holiday songs
played on a hanago, which
would be delivered later.
He made mental notes
about which booths had
permanent stores he would
want to visit for more shopping.
He ate way too many cookies,
but it was okay. He tended
to burn a ton of calories.
It wasn't quite twilight yet,
but the first shadows made
the streetlights turn on and
the colorful holiday lights twinkle.
"Merry Christmas," the vendors said,
and Gordon replied with a flourish,
"Happy Chrismahanukwanzakah!"
He liked making people laugh.
Then he spotted something
that wasn't funny at all.
A father and a daughter
were arguing at the booth
that sold tickets to all of
the holiday performances.
"Dad, come on, it's only a play,"
the girl begged. "I just want to see
A Christmas Story. It's not like
I'm gonna shoot my eye out!"
"I said no," the man replied. "It's
disrespectful and undignified."
"You never understand how I
feel about anything!" she wailed.
"Everyone else I know is going."
He glared and crossed his arms,
saying, "We don't talk about that."
Gordon cupped a hand behind
his ear and hummed his overture.
"Why, I believe that those people
are singing my song," he declared.
Then he used his quick-change skills
to shift from street clothes to uniform,
and leaped out in his red plaid suit.
Musical Episode took a deep breath
and belted out his opening salvo.
They're singing my song now
It won't be long now
Everyone join in
We are rejoining
This is all for us
We're doing a chorus ... now!
His superpower swept out and
snagged everyone's attention.
Several onlookers followed along
as his building energy guided them.
He wrapped it around the two leads
and pulled them to center stage
as he did a little dance number.
The father looked like he had
eaten a lemon, but predictably
he broke into an oldies song.
Take out the papers and the trash
Or you don't get no spendin' cash
If you don't scrub that kitchen floor
You ain't gonna rock and roll no more
Yakety yak (Don't talk back)
Musical Episode rolled his eyes,
but let the man have his say.
Afterwards, he reached out
to the girl, inviting her to reply.
Hey, give us a shout now
Let it all out now
They can't defeat us
Nothing can beat us
We're gonna wing it
In order to sing it ... now!
She snatched his hand
and clutched it like a lifeline.
I have so much feeling
That it leaves me reeling!
Oh, marvelous, an original!
That was just beginning
to happen sometimes if he
tapped a creative person.
The girl twirled in place,
waving her arms at all of
the holiday lights wrapped
around poles and palm trees.
See the street lights glisten
Now you gotta listen!
She stroked her hands
down a body whose curves
were just starting to show.
I'm a grown-up lady
Not a little baby.
The father looked
as though she had
kicked him in the crotch.
Well, he probably deserved it.
Musical Episode was enjoying
the hell out of her epic performance
when they were rudely interrupted.
A tall man brandishing a guitar
jumped in between them with
a jangle of dissonant chords.
Then he started dancing, and
everyone began tapping their feet.
Oh right, this must be Guitarantism
that he'd heard about moving here.
With a smirk, Musical Episode
reached out to grab the energy
and poured it into his own effects.
The girl grinned at him and
then began a swooping dance.
Let's discuss emotion
It's a great big ocean!
Of course the crowd
began to do a wave.
They even managed
a credible surf sound
that followed the wave.
Perhaps inevitably with
that much energy overload,
other groups of people began
spinning off to sing their feelings,
and it all got a bit ... chaotic.
Musical Episode still enjoyed
the girl's rollicking production.
Guitarantism tried to butt in again,
but Musical Episode blocked him,
letting the girl keep the spotlight.
Only when she finished, with
her face flushed and hair dripping,
did he step forward to join her.
We're going to win now
Bring it all in now
This is our hour
We have the power
Oh gosh, oh golly
This is the finale ... now!
He brought their hands up,
and she roared the last lines,
the crowd and even her father
caught up in the fervor of it.
We're playing with darts now
We're speaking our hearts now
Everyone in the ensemble
jumped into the air together.
Oh, what a great feeling
We're finally dealing ... wow!
They all crashed back to earth
in a stampede of landing feet,
exhausted, exultant, triumphant.
There was no other feeling like it.
Musical Episode shared a grin
with the radiant girl beside him.
Then something hit him in the face.
He spun around, and the father
punched him again and again
before someone dragged him off.
Musical Episode slumped to
the sidewalk, clutching his face.
Blood trickled through his fingers.
His ears were ringing, or maybe
that was the father screaming at him.
Then someone helped him lean
against the nearest booth.
A worried teen wearing
a street medic armband
crouched over him, frowning.
"Hi, I'm Bradley Kirkpatrick,"
he said. "I'm not really trained in
soup care, but I have first aid certs.
May I take care of you today?"
"Uh, yeah," said Musical Episode.
Half his face was swelling up.
"You got any ice, man?"
"Not on me, but I can
get some," said Bradley.
He got up and went to ask
some of the vendors for ice.
On such a warm day as this,
a food booth should have it.
Someone new crouched down
beside Musical Episode, blocking
the streetlight that hung overhead --
a big guy, wearing a police polo.
Musical Episode cringed a bit.
He didn't want to get arrested.
"Relax, you're not in trouble,"
said the cop. "I'm Jonata Barriga.
I would like to sit with you, at least
until the street medic gets back."
"Fffffine," said Musical Episode,
who didn't have the energy to argue.
Soon Bradley came back with
a dripping towel full of ice.
"So what happened here?"
he wondered. "I just caught
the tail end of the excitement."
"I'm Musical Episode," he said.
"We had an emotional scene,
and then some guy took
exception to my face."
"That sounds pretty wild,"
Bradley said as he wiped
the blood and dirt off of
Musical Episode's skin.
The nonsexual touch was
unfamiliar but not unwelcome.
"This is the dangerous thing
about musicals," he explained,
pressing the ice pack to his face.
"As soon as you find your voice,
you use it to sing to someone else,
and you sing about the things that
people don't talk about. That makes
them feel very uncomfortable."
"And sometimes they respond
violently," the medic murmured
as he checked for other injuries.
"Oh yeah," said Musical Episode.
"This happens to me a lot." He
looked down at the bloodstains
on his ivory shirt and sighed. "It
runs up my dry-cleaning bill."
"I can help," said the cop. "Send
the bill to Dennis Ratray in care of
the Santa Barbara Police Department.
"We can add that to his charges."
"Yeah, I heard it was all his fault,"
Bradley added. "Although I didn't
see the whole show, I sure did
catch the ending. That guy threw
the first punch -- and several more."
"I'm a singer, not a fighter,"
Musical Episode mumbled
through his ice pack.
"From what I've gathered,
the cape fight wasn't even
an actual fight until then,"
said Jonata. "It was just
a bunch of singing and
dancing -- pretty intense,
but not at all violent. That's
no excuse to hit someone."
"Yeah, my superpower is
classified as nonviolent,"
said Musical Episode. "It
doesn't stop fists from flying."
"Well, it should," said Jonata.
"There are much better ways
to solve problems than by
punching people in the face,
like talking out your feelings."
The irony made Musical Episode
laugh, which made his face hurt more.
"Yeah, no, that is exactly why I got
punched in the face," he pointed out.
"Still, you don't need to worry about
that guy anymore," Jonata assured him.
"My partner has ahold of him and we'll
be taking him to the police station."
Bradley snorted. "Good, he can try
to explain why he started a fistfight."
"I won't hesitate to throw him on
the tender mercy of our counselor,"
said Jonata. "She takes a very dim view
of people who forget to use their words
instead of their fists. She'll chew his ears
long before he gets down to paying a fine."
"Where's, uh, Guitarantism? The other soup
who jumped in the gig?" said Musical Episode.
"Back there somewhere," Bradley said with
a vague wave of his hand. "Last I saw,
he was talking with some other folks.
How did you two get mixed up here?"
"He tried to steal my audience,"
said Musical Episode. "I heard
he's new in town -- probably didn't
know that music gives me a boost."
"Ah, that will do it," said Jonata.
"Music can be very powerful.
You must have strong medicine."
It took a minute for Musical Episode
to translate that into "superpowers."
"Yeah, it's getting stronger," he said.
"Used to be, people just sang and danced
things they already knew that fit the need.
Now sometimes they come up with new ones.
The girl did, and it was great -- I would really
love to talk with her about what she did."
"Her name is Merryl Ratray," said Jonata.
"You can speak with her at the station,
if she's amenable to that. May I offer
you a lift in a civilian transport car?"
Musical Episode sighed. "Yeah,
I guess I'd better accept," he said.
"Remember, you aren't the one who
muffed up today," Bradley murmured,
helping him clamber to his feet. "Here's
my card if you need medical followup,
or even if you just want to talk."
"Thanks," said Musical Episode.
"This sucks less than usual."
"At least for some of us,"
Jonata said as he pointed to
where his partner was putting
Dennis into their police car.
Yeah, that was a great finale.
* * *
Notes:
This poem is long, so its character and content notes appear separately.
WARNING: The protagonist's theme song is an earworm, he has Music Inducement, and that kind of thing sometimes works even across dimensions.
Warning: This poem also contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the more detailed warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes dysfunctional family dynamics, public use of superpowers, singing and dancing in public, emotional blurting, interruption of someone else's performance, accidental upcharging of superpowers, fistfight, blood, minor medical details, police (being helpful), emotional upheavals, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
"The Dangerous Thing About Musicals"
[Saturday, November 30, 2013]
Gordon strolled through
the sidewalk sale that filled
several blocks of Santa Barbara.
The afternoon was still warm
but starting to cool down, and
a damp breeze riffled the air
with the smell of apple cider.
The sun shone in a blue sky,
but it was sinking in the west.
Gordon bought a few things, like
a handsome plaid scarf and
an album of holiday songs
played on a hanago, which
would be delivered later.
He made mental notes
about which booths had
permanent stores he would
want to visit for more shopping.
He ate way too many cookies,
but it was okay. He tended
to burn a ton of calories.
It wasn't quite twilight yet,
but the first shadows made
the streetlights turn on and
the colorful holiday lights twinkle.
"Merry Christmas," the vendors said,
and Gordon replied with a flourish,
"Happy Chrismahanukwanzakah!"
He liked making people laugh.
Then he spotted something
that wasn't funny at all.
A father and a daughter
were arguing at the booth
that sold tickets to all of
the holiday performances.
"Dad, come on, it's only a play,"
the girl begged. "I just want to see
A Christmas Story. It's not like
I'm gonna shoot my eye out!"
"I said no," the man replied. "It's
disrespectful and undignified."
"You never understand how I
feel about anything!" she wailed.
"Everyone else I know is going."
He glared and crossed his arms,
saying, "We don't talk about that."
Gordon cupped a hand behind
his ear and hummed his overture.
"Why, I believe that those people
are singing my song," he declared.
Then he used his quick-change skills
to shift from street clothes to uniform,
and leaped out in his red plaid suit.
Musical Episode took a deep breath
and belted out his opening salvo.
They're singing my song now
It won't be long now
Everyone join in
We are rejoining
This is all for us
We're doing a chorus ... now!
His superpower swept out and
snagged everyone's attention.
Several onlookers followed along
as his building energy guided them.
He wrapped it around the two leads
and pulled them to center stage
as he did a little dance number.
The father looked like he had
eaten a lemon, but predictably
he broke into an oldies song.
Take out the papers and the trash
Or you don't get no spendin' cash
If you don't scrub that kitchen floor
You ain't gonna rock and roll no more
Yakety yak (Don't talk back)
Musical Episode rolled his eyes,
but let the man have his say.
Afterwards, he reached out
to the girl, inviting her to reply.
Hey, give us a shout now
Let it all out now
They can't defeat us
Nothing can beat us
We're gonna wing it
In order to sing it ... now!
She snatched his hand
and clutched it like a lifeline.
I have so much feeling
That it leaves me reeling!
Oh, marvelous, an original!
That was just beginning
to happen sometimes if he
tapped a creative person.
The girl twirled in place,
waving her arms at all of
the holiday lights wrapped
around poles and palm trees.
See the street lights glisten
Now you gotta listen!
She stroked her hands
down a body whose curves
were just starting to show.
I'm a grown-up lady
Not a little baby.
The father looked
as though she had
kicked him in the crotch.
Well, he probably deserved it.
Musical Episode was enjoying
the hell out of her epic performance
when they were rudely interrupted.
A tall man brandishing a guitar
jumped in between them with
a jangle of dissonant chords.
Then he started dancing, and
everyone began tapping their feet.
Oh right, this must be Guitarantism
that he'd heard about moving here.
With a smirk, Musical Episode
reached out to grab the energy
and poured it into his own effects.
The girl grinned at him and
then began a swooping dance.
Let's discuss emotion
It's a great big ocean!
Of course the crowd
began to do a wave.
They even managed
a credible surf sound
that followed the wave.
Perhaps inevitably with
that much energy overload,
other groups of people began
spinning off to sing their feelings,
and it all got a bit ... chaotic.
Musical Episode still enjoyed
the girl's rollicking production.
Guitarantism tried to butt in again,
but Musical Episode blocked him,
letting the girl keep the spotlight.
Only when she finished, with
her face flushed and hair dripping,
did he step forward to join her.
We're going to win now
Bring it all in now
This is our hour
We have the power
Oh gosh, oh golly
This is the finale ... now!
He brought their hands up,
and she roared the last lines,
the crowd and even her father
caught up in the fervor of it.
We're playing with darts now
We're speaking our hearts now
Everyone in the ensemble
jumped into the air together.
Oh, what a great feeling
We're finally dealing ... wow!
They all crashed back to earth
in a stampede of landing feet,
exhausted, exultant, triumphant.
There was no other feeling like it.
Musical Episode shared a grin
with the radiant girl beside him.
Then something hit him in the face.
He spun around, and the father
punched him again and again
before someone dragged him off.
Musical Episode slumped to
the sidewalk, clutching his face.
Blood trickled through his fingers.
His ears were ringing, or maybe
that was the father screaming at him.
Then someone helped him lean
against the nearest booth.
A worried teen wearing
a street medic armband
crouched over him, frowning.
"Hi, I'm Bradley Kirkpatrick,"
he said. "I'm not really trained in
soup care, but I have first aid certs.
May I take care of you today?"
"Uh, yeah," said Musical Episode.
Half his face was swelling up.
"You got any ice, man?"
"Not on me, but I can
get some," said Bradley.
He got up and went to ask
some of the vendors for ice.
On such a warm day as this,
a food booth should have it.
Someone new crouched down
beside Musical Episode, blocking
the streetlight that hung overhead --
a big guy, wearing a police polo.
Musical Episode cringed a bit.
He didn't want to get arrested.
"Relax, you're not in trouble,"
said the cop. "I'm Jonata Barriga.
I would like to sit with you, at least
until the street medic gets back."
"Fffffine," said Musical Episode,
who didn't have the energy to argue.
Soon Bradley came back with
a dripping towel full of ice.
"So what happened here?"
he wondered. "I just caught
the tail end of the excitement."
"I'm Musical Episode," he said.
"We had an emotional scene,
and then some guy took
exception to my face."
"That sounds pretty wild,"
Bradley said as he wiped
the blood and dirt off of
Musical Episode's skin.
The nonsexual touch was
unfamiliar but not unwelcome.
"This is the dangerous thing
about musicals," he explained,
pressing the ice pack to his face.
"As soon as you find your voice,
you use it to sing to someone else,
and you sing about the things that
people don't talk about. That makes
them feel very uncomfortable."
"And sometimes they respond
violently," the medic murmured
as he checked for other injuries.
"Oh yeah," said Musical Episode.
"This happens to me a lot." He
looked down at the bloodstains
on his ivory shirt and sighed. "It
runs up my dry-cleaning bill."
"I can help," said the cop. "Send
the bill to Dennis Ratray in care of
the Santa Barbara Police Department.
"We can add that to his charges."
"Yeah, I heard it was all his fault,"
Bradley added. "Although I didn't
see the whole show, I sure did
catch the ending. That guy threw
the first punch -- and several more."
"I'm a singer, not a fighter,"
Musical Episode mumbled
through his ice pack.
"From what I've gathered,
the cape fight wasn't even
an actual fight until then,"
said Jonata. "It was just
a bunch of singing and
dancing -- pretty intense,
but not at all violent. That's
no excuse to hit someone."
"Yeah, my superpower is
classified as nonviolent,"
said Musical Episode. "It
doesn't stop fists from flying."
"Well, it should," said Jonata.
"There are much better ways
to solve problems than by
punching people in the face,
like talking out your feelings."
The irony made Musical Episode
laugh, which made his face hurt more.
"Yeah, no, that is exactly why I got
punched in the face," he pointed out.
"Still, you don't need to worry about
that guy anymore," Jonata assured him.
"My partner has ahold of him and we'll
be taking him to the police station."
Bradley snorted. "Good, he can try
to explain why he started a fistfight."
"I won't hesitate to throw him on
the tender mercy of our counselor,"
said Jonata. "She takes a very dim view
of people who forget to use their words
instead of their fists. She'll chew his ears
long before he gets down to paying a fine."
"Where's, uh, Guitarantism? The other soup
who jumped in the gig?" said Musical Episode.
"Back there somewhere," Bradley said with
a vague wave of his hand. "Last I saw,
he was talking with some other folks.
How did you two get mixed up here?"
"He tried to steal my audience,"
said Musical Episode. "I heard
he's new in town -- probably didn't
know that music gives me a boost."
"Ah, that will do it," said Jonata.
"Music can be very powerful.
You must have strong medicine."
It took a minute for Musical Episode
to translate that into "superpowers."
"Yeah, it's getting stronger," he said.
"Used to be, people just sang and danced
things they already knew that fit the need.
Now sometimes they come up with new ones.
The girl did, and it was great -- I would really
love to talk with her about what she did."
"Her name is Merryl Ratray," said Jonata.
"You can speak with her at the station,
if she's amenable to that. May I offer
you a lift in a civilian transport car?"
Musical Episode sighed. "Yeah,
I guess I'd better accept," he said.
"Remember, you aren't the one who
muffed up today," Bradley murmured,
helping him clamber to his feet. "Here's
my card if you need medical followup,
or even if you just want to talk."
"Thanks," said Musical Episode.
"This sucks less than usual."
"At least for some of us,"
Jonata said as he pointed to
where his partner was putting
Dennis into their police car.
Yeah, that was a great finale.
* * *
Notes:
This poem is long, so its character and content notes appear separately.