Lead On, Macduff Poem by Michael Shutt

'You're Not
the Son
I wanted.

When you
were born,

Not at all.'

'My Son would star
in Basketball.'

'Not on a Stage.'

'You made me Rage.'

'You're not the Son
I wanted..'

'When you were born,
I said,
'I have my B-Ball Player-'

'Not a half man
on a stage-'

'You make me rage.'

'Damn you!
Get into
a Real Man's
Physical Arena.'

'Instead of all
you could have done-'

Yes Sir!

'You chickened out-'

Yes Sir! !

'Sought Solace in
a Queen's Thee-A-Ter...'

'Your not the son
I thought I'd bore-'

'To Shoot, '

'To Foul, '

'To Drive, '

'To Score.'

'When Home Team's down,
To steal the ball.'

''Son? '

'What Son? '

'I will not make that call.'

I said,

'I have my
B-Ball Player.'

'Instead of
Man's Arena,

You went to
a Quant Queen's
Thee-A-Ter: '

'To Shoot;

To Score; '

'When Home
Teams Down-'

'I wished
for Fortinbras.'

'What Father
ere could ask
for more? '

'Upon a Basket,

Goals to keep.

And I got
Guildenstern.

and Rosencrantz.'

'Got not Iago-

Him I
could respect.'

'Nay.'

'I did not sire
The Great
Bill Russell.'

'Just Macbeth.'

'I got Macbeth.'

'Macbeth scored not
a three point shot.'

'At least,
he had the guts
to put a knife
in Duncan.'

'At least
he had
the guts
to murder sleep.'

'You never forced,
my son,

a three point foul.'

' Foul is Fair.

And Fair
is Foul.'

'The course of my
true love did not
run smooth.'

'Why could
you not
be what
I wanted? '

'Come in
Fourth Quarter,

Sink a
palpable Hit? '

'Though this
be madness,
There's still
method
in it.'

'I think I'll take
an unforgiving nod.'

'In apprehension
of my Lutheran God.'

'And you,
unwanted son,

the Winter of
my Discontent.'

'What's in
a name? '

'By fearing
to attempt,
to find yourself? '


'So change your name.'

'My stubborn mind,
from fear
it is exempt.'

'I'll not budge-'

'My truth is
righteously spent.'

'My ambition's made
of sterner stuff.'

And in reply,
'Dad',
I have finally
had enough.

It is the cause.

YOU are the cause-

Lead on, Macduff.

Lead on, Macduff.