The Tempest Cycle

Miranda

Married now, and old,
I still remember our last
night on the island.
My father master
of the circus.

He hit it, but
his heart had
broken—because
he set his Spirit
free.

I knew, but I did not think.
I thought I would have nine children.
Our oldest acquaintance could not be
more than three
hours. Ay me.

And yet—I have no desire to see
a goodlier man.

Ferdinand

She is smarter than I and
she never wears shoes.

Our children were raised in the open air
with little clothing and long hair.

When I was a child I wore petticoats
and took cold baths in a silver tub.

Our oldest acquaintance could not be
more than three
hours. I see

what I could not before. But
she wears flowers in her hair—
her silver hair—and I would not
change.

Prospero

I am old, and I wait to die.

I sometimes think I see my Spirit,
silver streaking—
sometimes.

One day, perhaps tomorrow, I
shall climb into my grave
and—waiting—there rest me.

Good Friday

—How sweet the smell
of the rotting carcass

of me
in the grave.

Sleeping, I was woken
and went for a walk.
Jerusalem was surprised to see me.

I don’t know why—there were others
there. We woke and went
for a walk. A night on
the town. Jerusalem

was surprised to see me.
If our noses had not been
eaten by worms and maggots
we might have noticed
the strange smell.