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Listen.
Really listen.
The blood won’t wash off my hands
or out of my clothes.
Will Not Wash Out! Look!
Listen.
I didn’t know before I killed,
and really, killing was easy,
but blood won’t stop flowing.
Listen, my husband, do not kill—
not again.
You killed the king at my urging.
I should have known better.
But how many others must die?
Did you target my friend, Lady McDuff?
AND HER CHILDREN?
Killing is too easy.
Do you aim for Malcolm? Will you kill all those who oppose you?
It doesn’t matter if you win, I tell you.
You’ll be standing here like me,
unable to wash the blood off your hands,
unable to wash the blood off your clothes,
unable to wash the blood from your land,
and unable to wash the blood from your soul.
The blood will drive you mad!
Listen to me now.Really listen.
For my prompt "Character(s) in Action" at What's Going On? (With thoughts of contemporary wars and those who promote and prolong them.)
My blog poems are rough drafts.
Please respect my copyright.
© 2024 Susan L. Chast
This was a fun read! Lady Macbeth railing at her husband about the spots. Smiles. Loved it.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this, but it seems that the last stanza has a lot of meaning today as well. Winners and losers alike will all end up with blood on their hands and on their land!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely brilliant Susan! Present day politicians are worse than Lady Macbeth. Nothing pricks their conscience. A very enjoyable read.
ReplyDeleteLove how you brought it to the present. We need a million Lady Macbeths warning all those waging war. "The blood will drive you mad" - This is going to be a hard prompt to write to!!
ReplyDelete"The blood will drive you mad!" - What a line - inner turmoil and despair - Love the feeling in this poem. Well Done.
ReplyDeleteA great character to choose, Susan, and a powerful poem, especially because of the effective repetition and the emphasis on important words, such as blood and washing.
ReplyDeleteThe voice of experience indeed! The repeated line has really gathered force by the time it reappears at the end!
ReplyDeleteLady Macbeth. Good choice...a memorable and persuasive character.
ReplyDeleteSusan,
ReplyDeleteI have written about Lady Macbeth in previous times, as her crime is very much as per the murderous happenings in today's world, especially the agitators and those who incite such heinous acts.
An excellent subject for the prompt...
I enjoyed the lightness of the images and also the implication of more intense meaning especially in today's world... !
ReplyDeleteI just finished teaching Macbeth. My students wrote their final test today. I love your poetic take on this character,
ReplyDeleteThose men never listen!! Thanks for the reminder that April is poetry month!
ReplyDelete