But at my back I always hear
Time's wingèd chariot hurrying near;
And yonder all before us lie
Deserts of vast eternity
'To His Coy Mistress' - Andrew Marvell
ACT I
Scene 1
(Lanore is sitting in the window of a church, looking out on to the graveyard. The window is not stained glass, but transparent. There is a white candle burning beside her, the wax running on to the window sill. She is dressed in an off-white wedding dress, it is old, torn and tatty. There is a black Raven sat beside her, she is feeding the bird rice from her hand as she looks out on to the graveyard. The view of the graveyard is also visible to the audience through the window. There is organ music playing softly and quietly in the background. Lanore is smiling a strange, twisted smile. There is a thunderstorm raging outside and rain lashing the windowpane).
LANORE: (Whispers to the bird) You won't leave me, will you birdie? I trust you, birdie, you can't trust anyone, but I trust you.
The bird squawks as if in reply.
LANORE: Oh, birdie, I'm so glad you're here. It's very lonely in this church. We're all lonely, here.
The organ music grows a little louder, Lanore strains her head to listen and hums softly along, swaying backwards and forwards.
LANORE: (Stroking the bird) He's going to come back for me. I know he is, you just wait and see, he'll come.
The bird flaps its wings as if it might fly away.
LANORE: (Grabs the bird and holds it to her face)
Please don't fly, my raven, stay here with me. I have more rice for you.
Lanore reaches for a jar she keeps tucked inside her wedding dress. She opens it and scatters some rice on to the window sill. The bird begins to peck at the rice. Lanore replaces the jar and looks out the window.
LANORE: (Deep sigh) I'll see him coming one day, down the path of the graveyard and here to my window. One day, birdie, I just have to wait.
Lanore warms her hands around the flame of the candle, humming softly to herself again. The candle light illuminates the rain on the window pane. Lanore stands up and presses her face to the window.
LANORE: (Muffled) It rained the day we got married. It never stops raining now, always rain, day after day.
Lanore sits down by the bird.
LANORE: Did he tell you where he was going, birdie? He said he belonged with me, but I've lost him. How do we find our way back to each other? He must be so lonely, without his Lanore.
The bird retreats into the shadows of the windowsill. The candle is almost burnt out and the light is growing dimmer.
BIRD: He is gone, Lanore, he swam into the rain and he is lost forever.
LANORE (Shouting) Don't say that! Don't say such awful things or I'll throw you into the rain! How could you be so cruel to your only friend?!
BIRD: I only speak the truth, friends cannot lie to their friends.
Scene 2
(A creaking of a door is heard. Enter Father McKenna, he sits by Lanore in the window).
FATHER MCKENNA: Aren't you cold, here by the window?
Come, sit by the fire with me.
LANORE: (Long pause) No, Father. I want to wait here, he could be here any minute.
