[STUYVESANT]
When I was a young man courting the girls
I played me a waiting game
If a maid refused me with tossing curls
I'd let the old earth take a couple whirls
While I plied her with tears in place of pearls
And as time came around, she came my way
As time came around, she came

But it's a long, long while
From May to December
And the days grow short
When you reach September

And I have lost one tooth
And I walk a little lame
And I haven't got time
For the waiting game

And the days turn to gold
As they grow few
September, November
And these few golden days
I'd spend with you
These golden days I'd spend with you
When you meet with a young man early in spring
They court you in song and rhyme
They woo you with words and a clover ring
But if you examine the goods they bring
They have little to offer but the songs they sing
And a plentiful waste of time of day
A plentiful waste of time

But it's a long, long while
From May to December
Will a clover ring last
'Til you reach September?

And I'm not quite equipped
For the waiting game
But I have a little money
And I have a little fame

And the days dwindle down
To a precious few
September, November
And these few precious days
I'd spend with you
These precious days I'd spend with you

(spoken)
So you, you see how it is, my dear?
[TINA, spoken]
Yes sir, I do see, but there was someone else—

[STUYVESANT, spoken]
Was there?

[TINA, spoken]
Yes, but I'll tell him if I have to. I know that when it comes to marriage, a maiden must obey the orders of her parents. 

[STUYVESANT, spoken]
Fine, fine. You see, no trouble at all. Burghers? Dames? Citizens? Maidens? Come, rejoice all. Corlear, sound the trumpet. 

[Trumpet fanfare.]

Announce the band. Everybody dance!

[CROWD dances.]

Stop! Stop the music! Stop the dancing! *Sniff*, ah. Somewhere among you I smell defiance. Someone among you harbors rebellion and dissatisfaction. You, Brom Broeck. If I had not saved your life an hour ago, I should say it emanated from you. 

[BROM, spoken]
It does all right. 

[STUYVESANT, spoken]
You find my regime unwelcome?
[BROM, spoken]
I certainly do. 

[TINA, spoken]
Oh, Brom, you owe your life to him. Please don't make trouble. 

[STUYVESANT, spoken]
Kindly note, young man, that all I ask of any citizen is that he subscribe fully and freely to my policies as announced. Can you do that?

[BROM, spoken]
I'm afraid—

[STUYVESANT, spoken]
I say, can you do that? Because I *sniff* still smell you very strongly. 

[BROM, spoken]
Well I, I don't know how to explain, I'm probably all wrong, but this is supposed to be a democracy. 

[STUYVESANT, spoken]
Democracy? What's a democracy?

[BROM, spoken]
It's uh, it's where you're governed by amateurs. It's a free country. 

[STUYVESANT, spoken]
Enough! Arrest him!

[BROM, spoken]
Aren't you even going to give me a trial?

[STUYVESANT, spoken]
Trial? When a man's guilty, what the devil good's a trial? To jail with him! We'll deal with his case later!

And the rest of you! Are these the proper faces for merriment and gaiety? Let me hear you laugh. 

[CROWD laughs.]

Laugh! Now sing! Sing, or by the Almighty, I may forget myself!