Bathtub in the Woods

In a little stand of red pine
That felt like an endless forest
A claw foot tub sat on its end
Smooth and white and out of place
I would stand inside it
Lost in the folds of my snowsuit 
And my dad was as tall as the trees
And could pick me up in his palm 

It smells the same in the woods
Blue sky like a collage between branches 
The bathtub reaches my waist
Littered with decaying leaves 
The meadow beyond the trees is so close
I could reach out and touch goldenrod
 

Della

VT

YWP Alumni

More by Della

  • Plot rough outline

    The play opens with Ava in her bedroom and her mother in the kitchen (The “bedroom” and “kitchen” are just opposite sides of the stage, but based on the fact the characters act like they can’t see each other, the audience understands they are in two
  • Secondary characters

    Ava’s mom: an easygoing woman, she just wants what’s best for Ava. She worries about her daughter being so uptight, but she also knows Ava has to figure things out on her own. She loves to bake and garden. 
  • Characters

    My play really has one main character, Ava.  Ava is a high school sophomore, and she’s very disciplined and structured.