Drama Monologue Flashcards
What line do you say after: Deep within me, words pile up in huge drifts.
Mountains of phrases and sentences and connected ideas.
What line do you say after: Mountains of phrases and sentences and connected ideas.
Clever expressions. Jokes. Love songs.
What line do you say after: Clever expressions. Jokes. Love songs.
From the time I was really little—maybe just a few months old—words were like sweet, liquid gifts, and I drank them like lemonade.
What line do you say after: From the time I was really little—maybe just a few months old—words were like sweet, liquid gifts, and I drank them like lemonade.
I could almost taste them.
What line do you say after: I could almost taste them.
They made my jumbled thoughts and feelings have substance.
What line do you say after: They made my jumbled thoughts and feelings have substance.
My parents have always blanketed me with conversation.
What line do you say after: My parents have always blanketed me with conversation.
They chattered and babbled.
What line do you say after: They chattered and babbled.
They verbalized and vocalized.
What line do you say after: They verbalized and vocalized.
My father sang to me.
What line do you say after: My father sang to me.
My mother whispered her strength into my ear.
What line do you say after: My mother whispered her strength into my ear.
Every word my parents spoke to me or about me I absorbed and kept and remembered.
What line do you say after: Every word my parents spoke to me or about me I absorbed and kept and remembered.
All of them.
What line do you say after: All of them.
I have no idea how I untangled the complicated process of words and thought, but it happened quickly and naturally.
What line do you say after: I have no idea how I untangled the complicated process of words and thought, but it happened quickly and naturally.
By the time I was two, all my memories had words, and all my words had meanings.
What line do you say after: By the time I was two, all my memories had words, and all my words had meanings.
But only in my head.
What line do you say after: But only in my head.
I have never spoken one single word.
What line do you say after: I have never spoken one single word.
I am almost eleven years old.
What line do you say after: I am almost eleven years old.
I can’t talk.
What line do you say after: I can’t talk.
I can’t walk.
What line do you say after: I can’t walk.
I can’t feed myself or take myself to the bathroom.
What line do you say after: I can’t feed myself or take myself to the bathroom.
When people look at me, I guess they see a girl with short, dark, curly hair strapped into a pink wheelchair.
What line do you say after: When people look at me, I guess they see a girl with short, dark, curly hair strapped into a pink wheelchair.
By the way, there is nothing cute about a pink wheelchair.
What line do you say after: By the way, there is nothing cute about a pink wheelchair.
Pink doesn’t change a thing.
What line do you say after: Pink doesn’t change a thing.
They’d see a girl with dark brown eyes that are full of curiosity.
What line do you say after: They’d see a girl with dark brown eyes that are full of curiosity.
But one of them is slightly out of whack.
What line do you say after: But one of them is slightly out of whack.
After folks finished making a list of my problems, they might take time to notice that I have a fairly nice smile and deep dimples.
What line do you say after: After folks finished making a list of my problems, they might take time to notice that I have a fairly nice smile and deep dimples.
I think my dimples are cool.
What line do you say after: I think my dimples are cool.
Sometimes people never even ask my name, like it’s not important or something.
What line do you say after: Sometimes people never even ask my name, like it’s not important or something.
It is.
What line do you say after: It is.
My name is Melody.
What line do you say after: My name is Melody.
I can remember way back to when I was really, really young.
What line do you say after: I can remember way back to when I was really, really young.
Mum carrying me home from the hospital—her face showing smiles, but her eyes squinted with worry.
What line do you say after: Mum carrying me home from the hospital—her face showing smiles, but her eyes squinted with worry.
Melody tucked into a tiny baby bathtub.
What line do you say after: Melody tucked into a tiny baby bathtub.
I didn’t splash or kick.
What line do you say after: I didn’t splash or kick.
Mum massaging me with lotion after a bath—I can still smell the lavender.
What line do you say after: Mum massaging me with lotion after a bath—I can still smell the lavender.
Then wrapping me in a fluffy towel with a little hood built into one corner.
What line do you say after: Then wrapping me in a fluffy towel with a little hood built into one corner.
Songs floated through me and stayed.
What line do you say after: Songs floated through me and stayed.
Lullabies, mixed with the soft smells of bedtime, slept with me.
What line do you say after: Lullabies, mixed with the soft smells of bedtime, slept with me.
Harmonies made me smile.
What line do you say after: Harmonies made me smile.
It’s like I’ve always had a painted musical soundtrack playing background to my life.
What line do you say after: It’s like I’ve always had a painted musical soundtrack playing background to my life.
I can almost hear colors and smell images when music is played.
What line do you say after: I can almost hear colors and smell images when music is played.
Mum loves classical. Big, booming Beethoven symphonies blast from her CD player all day long.
What line do you say after: Mum loves classical. Big, booming Beethoven symphonies blast from her CD player all day long.
Those pieces always seem to be bright blue as I listen, and they smell like fresh paint.
What line do you say after: Those pieces always seem to be bright blue as I listen, and they smell like fresh paint.
Dad is partial to jazz, and every chance he gets, he winks at me, takes out Mum’s Mozart disc, then pops in a CD of Miles Davis or Woody Herman.
What line do you say after: Dad is partial to jazz, and every chance he gets, he winks at me, takes out Mum’s Mozart disc, then pops in a CD of Miles Davis or Woody Herman.
For some reason, I’ve always loved country music—loud, guitar-strumming, broken-heart music.
What line do you say after: For some reason, I’ve always loved country music—loud, guitar-strumming, broken-heart music.
Country is lemons—not sour, but sugar sweet and tangy.
What line do you say after: Country is lemons—not sour, but sugar sweet and tangy.
Lemon cake icing, cool, fresh lemonade!
What line do you say after: Lemon cake icing, cool, fresh lemonade!
Lemon, lemon, lemon! Love it.
What line do you say after: Lemon, lemon, lemon! Love it.
When I was really little, I remember sitting in our kitchen, being fed breakfast by Mum, and a song came on the radio that made me screech with joy.
What line do you say after: When I was really little, I remember sitting in our kitchen, being fed breakfast by Mum, and a song came on the radio that made me screech with joy.
So I’m singin’
What line do you say after: So I’m singin’
Elvira, Elvira
What line do you say after: Elvira, Elvira
My heart’s on fire, Elvira
What line do you say after: My heart’s on fire, Elvira
Giddy up oom poppa oom poppa mow mow
What line do you say after: Giddy up oom poppa oom poppa mow mow
Giddy up oom poppa oom poppa mow mow
What line do you say after: Giddy up oom poppa oom poppa mow mow
Heigh-ho Silver, away
What line do you say after: Heigh-ho Silver, away
I wanted to hear the song again.
What line do you say after: I wanted to hear the song again.
But Mum just looked at me like I was nuts.
What line do you say after: But Mum just looked at me like I was nuts.
How could she understand that I loved the song “Elvira” by the Oak Ridge Boys when I barely understood it myself?
What line do you say after: How could she understand that I loved the song “Elvira” by the Oak Ridge Boys when I barely understood it myself?
I had no way to explain how I could smell freshly sliced lemons and see citrus-toned musical notes in my mind as it played.
What line do you say after: I had no way to explain how I could smell freshly sliced lemons and see citrus-toned musical notes in my mind as it played.
If I had a paintbrush . . . wow! What a painting that would be!
What line do you say after: If I had a paintbrush . . . wow! What a painting that would be!
But Mum just shook her head and kept on spooning applesauce into my mouth.
What line do you say after: But Mum just shook her head and kept on spooning applesauce into my mouth.
There’s so much my mother doesn’t know.
What line do you say after: There’s so much my mother doesn’t know.
Thoughts need words.
What line do you say after: Thoughts need words.
Words need a voice.
What line do you say after: Words need a voice.
I love the smell of my mother’s hair after she washes it.
What line do you say after: I love the smell of my mother’s hair after she washes it.
I love the feel of the scratchy stubble on my father’s face before he shaves.
What line do you say after: I love the feel of the scratchy stubble on my father’s face before he shaves.
But I’ve never been able to tell them.
What line do you say after: But I’ve never been able to tell them.
My father brought home a small stuffed bunny for me when I was really little—less than a year old, I’m sure.
What line do you say after: My father brought home a small stuffed bunny for me when I was really little—less than a year old, I’m sure.
It was white and soft and just the right size for chubby baby fingers to pick up.
What line do you say after: It was white and soft and just the right size for chubby baby fingers to pick up.
Mum placed the toy bunny in my hands, and I smiled.
What line do you say after: Mum placed the toy bunny in my hands, and I smiled.
Then it fell on the floor.
What line do you say after: Then it fell on the floor.
Dad placed it in my hands the second time.
What line do you say after: Dad placed it in my hands the second time.
I really wanted to hold it and hug it.
What line do you say after: I really wanted to hold it and hug it.
But it fell on the floor once more.
What line do you say after: But it fell on the floor once more.
I remember I got mad and started to cry.
What line do you say after: I remember I got mad and started to cry.
“Try again, sweetie,” Dad said, sadness decorating the edges of his words.
What line do you say after: “Try again, sweetie,” Dad said, sadness decorating the edges of his words.
“You can do it.”
What line do you say after: “You can do it.”
My parents placed the bunny in my hands again and again.
What line do you say after: My parents placed the bunny in my hands again and again.
“Your life is not going to be easy, little Melody,” he’d say quietly.
What line do you say after: “Your life is not going to be easy, little Melody,” he’d say quietly.
“If I could switch places with you, I’d do it in a heartbeat. You know that, don’t you?”
