The Winter's Tale. Poem by Susan Birch

Ah Leontes, burdened with Othello's taint
Denounces wife and friend, abandons restraint
And thereby loses all. In jealousy's thrall
Friendship is broken, wife and son lost to death's pall
Sweet daughter left on Bohemia's shore.
Til' Penman's whim should choose to restore.
Ah Penman! How tormented and scattered!
With devious art you have shattered
Our brave Kings and Queens.
Heaped upon them, by any means,
Madness, perfidy, treachery and hate.
Will you now redeem their fate?
With magic pen you turn the tale
from bitter winter's maddening wail.
Now all is summer...madness tamed!
Friendship restored, Queen reclaimed.
And here, to thy bosom, a daughter enfold.
With ink and players the tale is now told.
Ah Penman...tragedy turned to comedy now?
All is well? Perhaps you forgot?
Poor Mamillius...pined away.
A sweet Prince lost to the needs of the play.
With winter blooms now deck his grave
Lest we forget the price he paid.
And thus my tale I deem to share
And now I exit...
Pursued by a bear!
© Susan E Birch - APRIL 2014