| BESS
|
| Oh… What you want wid Bess?
|
| She’s gettin' ole now;
|
| Take a fine young gal
|
| For to satisfy Crown
|
| Look at this chest
|
| An' look at these arms you got
|
| You know how it always been with me
|
| These five years I been yo' woman
|
| You could kick me in the street
|
| Then when you wanted me back
|
| You could whistle, an' there I was
|
| Back again, lickin' yo' hand
|
| There’s plenty better lookin' gal than Bess
|
| Can' you see, I’m with Porgy
|
| Now and forever
|
| I am his woman, he would die without me
|
| Oh, Crown, won’t you let me go to my man, to my man
|
| He is a cripple an' needs my love, all my love
|
| What you want wid Bess? |
| Oh, let me go to my man..
|
| CROWN
|
| What I wants wid other woman
|
| I gots a woman, yes
|
| An' dat is you, yes, dat is you, yes
|
| I need you now an' you’re mine jus' as long as I want you
|
| No cripple goin' take my woman from me
|
| You got a man tonight an' that is Crown, yes, Crown, yes
|
| Crown
|
| You’re my woman, Bess, I’m tellin' you, now I’m your man
|
| (Pressing her very close)
|
| BESS
|
| What you want with Bess?
|
| (Boat whistles)
|
| Lemme go, Crown dat boat, it’s goin' wi out me!
|
| CROWN
|
| You ain’t goin' nowhere!
|
| BESS
|
| (Weakening)
|
| Take yo' hands off me, I say, yo' hands, yo' hands, yo hands
|
| (Crown kisses her passionately)
|
| CROWN
|
| I knows you' ain' change — wid you and me it always be the
|
| Same. |
| Git in dat thicket
|
| (Bess backs into woods; Crown follows.) |