The Applicant by Sylvia Plath

<p>Production and Sound Design by Kevin Seaman</p><p>The Applicant<br />BY SYLVIA PLATH<br />First, are you our sort of a person?<br />Do you wear<br />A glass eye, false teeth or a crutch,<br />A brace or a hook,<br />Rubber breasts or a rubber crotch,</p><p>Stitches to show something's missing? No, no? Then<br />How can we give you a thing?<br />Stop crying.<br />Open your hand.<br />Empty? Empty. Here is a hand</p><p>To fill it and willing<br />To bring teacups and roll away headaches<br />And do whatever you tell it.<br />Will you marry it?<br />It is guaranteed</p><p>To thumb shut your eyes at the end<br />And dissolve of sorrow.<br />We make new stock from the salt.<br />I notice you are stark naked.<br />How about this suit——</p><p>Black and stiff, but not a bad fit.<br />Will you marry it?<br />It is waterproof, shatterproof, proof<br />Against fire and bombs through the roof.<br />Believe me, they'll bury you in it.</p><p>Now your head, excuse me, is empty.<br />I have the ticket for that.<br />Come here, sweetie, out of the closet.<br />Well, what do you think of that?<br />Naked as paper to start</p><p>But in twenty-five years she'll be silver,<br />In fifty, gold.<br />A living doll, everywhere you look.<br />It can sew, it can cook,<br />It can talk, talk, talk.</p><p>It works, there is nothing wrong with it.<br />You have a hole, it's a poultice.<br />You have an eye, it's an image.<br />My boy, it's your last resort.<br />Will you marry it, marry it, marry it.</p>