Stephen Sondheim
I Wish I Could Forget You
[GIORGIO, spoken]
Fosca, it will be light soon, I should be going.
[FOSCA, spoken]
Would you do me a great favor before you leave?
Would you write a letter for me?
[GIORGIO, spoken]
Certainly.
[FOSCA, spoken]
My dearest... Fosca.
[GIORGIO stops writing and looks at her, annoyed.]
[FOSCA, spoken]
Please.
[GIORGIO resumes writing.]
[GIORGIO, spoken]
"My dearest Fosca..."
[FOSCA]
I wish I could forget you
Erase you from my mind
But ever since I met you
I find
I cannot leave the thought of you behind
That doesn't mean I love you...
[GIORGIO]
"That doesn't mean I love you..."
[FOSCA]
I wish that I could love you...
I know that I've upset you
I know I've been unkind
I wanted you to vanish from sight
But now I see you in a different light
And though I cannot love you
I wish that I could love you
For now I'm seeing love
Like none I've ever known
A love as pure as breath
As permanent as death
Implacable as stone
A love that like a knife
Has cut into a life
I wanted left alone
A love I may regret
But one I can't forget
I don't know how I let you
So far inside my mind
But there you are and there you will stay
How could I ever wish you away?
I see now I was blind
And should you die tomorrow
Another thing I see:
Your love will live in me
(spoken)
I remain...
Your Giorgio.
[GIORGIO signs the letter and blots it.]