take a break off broadway
Un deux trois quatre
Cinq six sept huit neuf
Un deux trois quatre
Cinq six sept huit neuf
Good! Un deux trois quatre
Cinq sept huit neuf
Un deux trois quatre
Cinq six sept huit neuf
Sept huit neuf—
Sept huit neuf—
Sept huit neuf—
Sept huit neuf—
Sept huit neuf—
One two three four five six seven eight nine!
My dearest, Angelica
“They have tied me to a stake, I cannot fly
But, bear-like, I must fight the course”
I trust you’ll understand the reference to
Another Scottish tragedy without my having to cite the source
Yes, I’m Macbeth, and ambition is my folly
I’m a polymath, a pain in the ass, a massive pain
Madison is Banquo, Jefferson’s Macduff
And Birnam Wood is Congress on its way to Dunsinane
And there you are, an ocean away
Do you have to live an ocean away?
Thoughts of you subside
Then I get another letter
I cannot put the notion away…
Take a break
I am on my way
There’s a little surprise before supper
And it cannot wait
I’ll be there in just a minute, save my plate
Alexander—
Okay, okay—
Your son is nine years old today
And he has something that he’d like to say
He’s been practicing all day
Philip, take it away—
Daddy, daddy, look—
My name is Philip
I am a poet
I wrote this poem just
To show it
And I just turned nine
      You can write rhymes    But you can’t write mine What!   I practice French    And play piano with my mother Uh-huh!   I have a sister, but I want a little brother Okay!   My daddy’s trying to start America’s bank    Un deux trois quatre cinq! Bravo! 
Take a break
Hey, our kid is pretty great
Run away with us for the summer
Let’s go upstate
Eliza, I’ve got so much on my plate
We can all go stay with my father
There’s a lake I know…
I know
In a nearby park
I’d love to go
You and I can go when the night gets dark…
I will try to get away
My dearest Alexander
I hope this letter finds you
Prolific, productive, wherever you may be
Your fav’rite older sister
Angelica, reminds you
There’s someone in your corner all the way across the sea
In a letter I received from you two weeks ago
I noticed a comma in the middle of a phrase
It changed the meaning. Did you intend this?
One stroke and you’ve consumed my waking days
It says:
“My dearest, Angelica”
With a comma after “dearest.” You’ve written
“My dearest, Angelica.”
Anyway, all this to say
I’m coming home this summer
At my sister’s invitation
I’ll be there with your fam’ly
If you make your way upstate
I know you’re very busy
I know your work’s important
But I’m crossing the ocean and I just can’t wait
You won’t be an ocean away
You will only be a moment away…
Alexander, come downstairs. Angelica’s arriving today!
Angelica!
Eliza!
The Schuyler sisters!
Alexander
Hi
It’s good to see your face
Angelica, tell this man John Adams spends the summer with his family
Angelica, tell my wife John Adams doesn’t have a real job anyway
…you’re not joining us? Wait
I’m afraid I cannot join you upstate
Alexander, I came all this way
She came all this way—
All this way—
Take a break
Washington is staying in the city
Run away with us for the summer
Let’s go upstate
Which means I have to stay in the city
We can all go stay with our father
      There's a lake I know I know I'll miss your face   In a nearby park "Screw your courage to the sticking place-"   You and I can go Eliza's right   Take a break  Take a break   and get away Run away with us for the summer   Let's go upstate Let's go upstate   Where we can stay We can all go stay with our father   Look around, look around If you take your time   At how lucky we are to be alive right now You will make your mark   We can go when the night gets dark Close your eyes and dream 
Take a break
I will be in the city
Write to me in the city