Banquo's Confessions

It is terrible to see yourself mangled and cast aside,

Bleeding deep into the warming earth

The heart torn open

Shards of the lantern, broken into a thousand pieces

━━━

Hail Macbeth, Thane of Glamis and Cawdor

Hail Macbeth, Ares’ champion, Conqueror of Macdonwald

Hail Macbeth, Murderer, Thief, Tyrant, Devil

All hail Macbeth, King of Scotland.

━━━

I am the ghost that steals the king’s seat.

In this crowded hall, none see the stirring shadows

Life blossoms

in every laughter that echoes,

in every fiddle that plays a spritely tune.

In this breathing, beating room

I am the only dead man

following Macbeth like the stench of guilt

I sit

I am invisible

Loneliness never felt victorious.

━━━

Hell is this long scratched table

The goblet tilts

Silky red wine stains his lips

He has grown pale, thin, hollow

We are the ghosts, damned souls

Fragile like porcelain

The muted moon and blackened leaves lament

“Speak” he demands

I want revenge.

━━━

Macbeth is afraid of me

I am afraid of him

Macbeth is afraid of the dead

I am afraid of my translucent skin

Macbeth is afraid of everything

I am afraid that I will never be free

━━━

I love Fleance

I love Fleance

I love Fleance

I love my son, my warm bright sun

I hate the cold, cold, cold.

━━━

I know why spectral feet carry me here

To torment the king until he falls, lifeless

Justice knows no friendships

My feet walk the knotted path

My mind knows the vicious plan

Yet my heart wanders

over hills

through forests

across oceans

It settles next to a little boy fleeing this terrible land.

━━━

I am a poor thane

I am an old friend

I am a dead father

I am a sad phantom

Let me be free

Let me be free

Let me be free