Kaleigh Walsh. April 2017.
Rose and Jay
🐰 Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet Reimagined 🐰
While looking back through past work, I came across one particularly interesting assignment from ninth grade. For this assignment, I was required to write a “modern” adaptation of the Romeo and Juliet balcony scene. The interpretation of “modern” was left for me to decide and ninth grade me took full advantage of the opportunity to incorporate a certain fluffy creature that often has little relevance in high school. 🐰
To mirror the style of Shakespeare, the following adaptation is complete with an introduction in iambic pentameter and an abundance of metaphors, similes, and personification.
I love creative writing. Revisiting my old work brings me joy. I hope you, too, find some joy in my playful take on Shakespeare. 💜
CHARACTERS
Rose ~ A wild, chestnut Cottontail rabbit.
Jay (“Midnight”)~ A domesticated rabbit, black Holland Lop.
Snowy~ Jay’s Mother, a white Holland Lop.
Human~ A rabbit breeder, owner of Snowy and Jay.
INTRODUCTION
Two bunnies indulge a secret romance.
One a Doe, born free, truly wild at heart,
The other, a Buck, of pure proper stance.
Born into opposite worlds, kept apart.
Her colony only follows nature's course.
His family is close with human kind.
Their parents divided, without remorse.
A love so strong was never brought to mind.
Forced to keep their love a secret from all,
Words of love and concern fill the soft air.
In whispers, destiny reveals it’s call.
Please, let us end this worry and despair.
This love story has only just begun
Now, say goodnight to the warm, golden sun.
ACT 1, SCENE 1
(JAY sits high upon the screened-in porch, relaxing in the warmth of the sun, as his brothers and sisters play around him. ROSE moves slowly about the garden below, cautiously snacking on freshly bloomed clover.)
JAY: Oh Rose, Oh my sweet Rose. Ever since the day I first spotted you, my thoughts return to you and only you. On that fine day you were dancing about the yard like falling leaves in the cool, autumn air.
ROSE: (Surprised.) Ohh, it’s Jay. He must not know I’m here. Should I speak or let him go on?
JAY: Your fur is the earth, just like my wild ancestors, camouflaging you into your surroundings, allowing you to become one with nature. Something I can never achieve with my fur, black as night.
ROSE: (Hopping up onto a rock, moving into JAY’S view.) Oh, what beautiful things you say of me. But, why must you talk yourself down? Your fur is smooth like that of a newborn kit and your bold coloration is quite unique.
JAY: (Surprised.) Rose! What a sweet thing for you to say. What are you doing here? For you know my mother wouldn’t approve.
ROSE: Neither would mine, but I just can’t stay away. I am drawn to you like birds are called to the wide-open, welcoming sky.
JAY: (Being a “know it all”.) You know, not all birds fly.
ROSE: (In disbelief.) Name one.
JAY: A penguin.
ROSE: A peng-what.
JAY: Penguin, a bird that lives in Antarctica, a land cold and cruel.
ROSE: I don't believe you.
JAY: That’s what I love about you, you must see for yourself, you never rely on others to survive.
ROSE: I love that you come to me with absurd facts that you insist are true.
HUMAN: Midnight (JAY) where are you? It’s time for your grooming.
JAY: (Taken off guard.) Rose you have to go, my human is looking for me! It won’t be long until my mother comes looking too.
(ROSE cautiously climbs up each step of the porch stairs, hops up to the screen and sits inches away from JAY.)
ROSE: I do not want to leave your side ever again. You are the beacon my heart seeks out, every moment of my day.
JAY: My love for you is like a waterfall, vast and never ending. But you must go! Neither of our parents approve. If we are caught, we will never see each other again.
(ROSE , resisting his words, stays exactly where she is.)
HUMAN: (Getting a little frustrated.) Midnight! Come boy. I’ll give you a treat.
SNOWY: JAY! Where are you? Our human is looking for you!
JAY: (Compromising.) Coming, mother! (Whispering to ROSE.) Go hide in the garden, over there, until I return.
ROSE: (Whispering; satisfied.) Okay.
(They touch noses through the screen, for a moment, before ROSE hops into the garden. JAY goes to respond to the human and his mother, SNOWY.)
SNOWY: Where were you? (Nudging JAY toward the human.)
JAY: I was-
SNOWY: Never mind that, just go to the human, she wants to clip your nails.
JAY: What’s the big deal? She does that every week.
SNOWY: This time, it is in preparation for your adoption.
JAY: (Shocked.) My what?!
SNOWY: Your adoption. Ohh, your father and I are so proud of you. You will follow in your older brother’s and sister's paw prints. It is just what we wanted for you.
JAY: When?
SNOWY: (Overly excited.) Oh, I just knew you would be excited as a kit with a carrot… You won’t have to wait much longer, you will be in your new home by this time tomorrow!
HUMAN: Oh, there you are Midnight. Thanks Snowy. (Pats SNOWY on the head.)
SNOWY: Oh, this human and her silly names.
HUMAN: (Picks up JAY, otherwise known as “MIDNIGHT”, up and begins to clip his nails.) Guess what buddy, you’ll be going to your new home tomorrow. I think you’ll love it there. (Puts JAY down gently.) Now, why don't you go say bye to your family.
(JAY hops immediately back to the edge of the screened in porch to see ROSE.)
JAY: (Whispering.) Rose… Rose… Rose, where are you?
(ROSE happily emerges from the brush, into the light shining down from the nearby garden lamp. The HUMAN peers out the window and unexpectedly sees JAY and ROSE, together.)
ROSE: Jay, you came back! The still, silent night was beginning to get lonely. Without you, the world is- (Sensing JAY’S sadness.) What’s wrong?
JAY: (Sadly.) My time has come, I’m getting adopted.
ROSE: What does that mean?
JAY: It means I have to go far, far away, forever. (ROSE’S smile turns to a frown.) I don't want to go. Every second I'm away from you is worse than being stuck in an eternal thunderstorm.
ROSE: (Concerned.) What will we do? You can't come with me. You wouldn't survive a day in the wild. And my colony would never accept your human taught ways.
JAY: (Hopeful.) You could come with me?
ROSE: Jay, I wish. But, you know I can’t answer to human authority. It is like being controlled by someone who doesn't speak the same language and the schedules, they are forceful daily traps.
JAY: (In the spur of the moment; influenced by romance.) Then marry me, our parents would have to accept our love then. And maybe they would support us as well. So, will you marry me?
(There is a moment of silence between the two.)
ROSE: Yes. I’ll marry you. I love you so. But are you sure that this will work? Are you sure they will accept us?
JAY: No, but we have to try.
ROSE: Okay, we are to be married tomorrow.
JAY: Meet me here tomorrow morning, at the rise of the sun, and we'll sneak off to get married. Then return and tell them of our love.
ROSE: I’ll be here.
(JAY and ROSE touch noses through the screen, one last time, before ROSE disappears into the darkness and JAY drifts off to sleep. Leaving only the HUMAN watching through the window.)
HUMAN: (Dials her phone.) Hello … I’m sorry, but the adoption is off … I know, I’m sorry … Okay, bye. (Dials her phone again.) Hello, is this the carpenter? … I’m sorry, I know it is late … I have a project for you … I need you to build me a new rabbit pen … One with access to the forest.