Macbeth Makes His Move
By Elton Camp
Because I am called a Thane
I let it come to make me vain
King Duncan, not only my friend
But to him I am also of close kin
When he needed me to help fight
I found to do that was pure delight
Will not have to do it soon again
After we made a spectacular win
But on that very same victorious day
Another Thane did the king betray
Duncan knew the thing to do
Give me that Thaneship too
How that would be a promotion
Seems to be just a silly notion
But maybe it will be nice
To have same title twice
In advance, three witches knew
Told it as they stirred their brew
“And there’s another thing,
You also will become king.”
Idea they had planted as to my fate
To share with wife, I couldn’t wait
She knew just what we could do
We have a chance to make it true
King coming to spend the night with us
So easy for us to kill him without a fuss
Wait until he falls asleep
Plunge dagger very deep
“No, that would not be fair play
Will not become king that way!”
But she would not let it drop
To his reign would put a stop
“Biggest coward I’ve ever seen,
Won’t help me become queen.
If you are not man to use the knife,
Then just leave it to your little wife.”
But in the air I did find
Cruel dagger of the mind
Decided it would be dumb
To worry about life to come
While the king lay asleep in bed
Our hands became scarlet red
When others learned of the deed
I then reacted with great speed
Loudly did I weep and wail
King’s attendants did assail
“Those knaves their lord did slay
So I killed them all, right away.”
The kingship on me then fell
As the three hags did foretell.
Banquo knew of my evil plot
To let him live, I could not
Though the king’s ghost did not appear
To me, one of Banquo then drew near
It was such a horrible surprise
Wild with fear became my eyes.
I was not sorry to have killed the king
But others must not hear about the thing.
If they learn about my acts that day,
The kingship will surely take away.
My wife, through guilt, lost her mind
Hallucinations then put her in a bind
“Out damned spot, out I say.”
Nothing blood could wash away.
That became the reason why
Very soon, she came to die
Witches, though, comfort brought
With the most welcome thought
Evil three then said with voices shrill,
“None born of woman can you kill.”
To me did complete protection give.
Except that way, none come to live.
But Macduff gave me a shocking tip.
“From my mother, doctor did me rip.”
So born from woman he was not
That fact put me in a terrible spot.
With his sword, he gave me a whack
Left me bleeding, dying on my back.
So, if a witch you decide to address,
It may get you into a terrible mess.