A Note to Macbeth

[Ken_Nye]

Macbeth, given what you have put yourself through
for the last two and a half hours,
I can understand why you're so down
when your speak your "tomorrow" lines.
But you have never questioned the assusmption
that your role calls for sound and fury,
and you continue to dismiss the possibility
that your brief hour upon the stage
might signify "something," rather than "nothing."
It all depends on how you play the part.

You never seem to understand
the purpose of your performance,
and so the critics are always harsh,
and everyone always roots for Macduff.

Our lives, in the eyes of the universe,
do creep in a petty pace.
But whether or not
it all ends up meaning something
is not the call of the playwright
(whom you call "an idiot"),
but of you, the performer.

I wish you would play your role differently.
You might feel better
about the whole thing.

[LeoVictorBriones (poetremains)]

This is a very clever poem. I really like it. The last stanza is a great conclusion!

[Marion Poirier]

Ken, Shakespeare's Macbeth sounds depressed in
that renowned soliloquy - (one of my favorites) -
that was written before Prozac or shrinks.

I wish I could give you a detailed critique but can't
find anything to pick at. I like this sardonic style -
sounds like a new voice from you.
I think you are on to something.

Cool!
Marion

[mfwilkie]

Love your advise to Macbeth, Ken!

I'm there with Marion; can't find a thing I would recommend changing.

Mags

[Ron Buck (halfshell)]

Ken:

let me just say that I go back a long way with this play... reading, seeing and performing as ... yep... you got it! So there are some key points in turns that stumble for me... but yer point of view is mighty savory.

The tomorrow speach comes after big daddy has learned that big lady has splattered herself, Duncan is dead and he has seized the throne and now he looks at himself, his life, his “play”, his soul and how his flaw has lead him to this trough. That he allowed his “soul” to be snuffed out and that he is the “idiot” that allowed himself to be carried by the stream without a navigator willing to take the helm.

In any case your overall is nice and close to what the bard was getting at but I would tweak the work to fit the play. I do like the narrators voice throughout but the poem can not work for me without keeping the bard’s concept intact.

In any guess I’ve messed it up ....

Macbeth, given what you have put yourself through
for the last two and a half hours, I can understand
why you're so down when your speak your "tomorrow" lines.

But your role calls for sound and fury; to dismiss
the possibility that your brief hour upon the stage
may have signified “something," rather than "nothing,."
depends on how you played your part.

You never seem to understand the purpose
of your performance, so the critics are always harsh,
and everyone always roots for Macduff.

Our lives, in the eyes of the universe,
do creep at a petty pace. But whether or not
it all ends up meaning something is not the call
of the playwright, but of you, the performer.

I wish you would play your role differently.
You might feel better about the whole thing.


Tidings
ron

[ramadevi]

Loved this the first time i read it, and this time too!

Brilliant and witty.

Smiles, rd