"The Red Tree" - peformed by Kenza Nejmi

"The Red Tree" from the musical THE RED TREE.
Performed by Kenza Nejmi in NYC, April 2024.
Words by Hilary Bell.
Music by Greta Gertler Gold.
Based on the book by Shaun Tan.
Filmed by Mike Benigno.
Mixed by Adam Gold.
THE RED TREE was produced at the Sydney Opera House and Arts Centre Melbourne in 2019. Commissioned by National Theatre of Parramatta in 2017. Directed by Neil Gooding.
THE RED TREE
Woke up today, heavy-hearted.
Seemed the day would end as it started.
I couldn’t help feeling gloomy.
Everything I dreaded
Happened to me.
Open the door,
Stop and stand and stare.
It wasn’t there before,
It’s growing through the floor,
Bright and vivid
Quietly waiting
For you to see.
Woke up today, couldn’t get up.
Worries in my head wouldn’t let up.
And while I went through the motions,
I was waging war with stormy oceans.
Under the door,
A ray of rosy light.
It started very small,
Now branches brush the wall.
Bright and vivid
Quietly waiting
For you to see
That it’s just as you imagined it would be,
It’s just as you imagined it would be,
Just as you imagined it would be.