I Am Borgia

Today

I am

Borgia[1]--

Machiavel,

 

Digging

A hole

To silence

My enemies.

 

I feel

In control,

My hands

On the shovel,

 

Its edge

Filling

The earth

With death.

 

Death

Is life,

But living

This way

 

Is death.

Sweet earth,

Cool and dry

Covers me.

 

I have

Fallen victim

To my own

Sentences.

 

Broken legs

Keep me

Helpless.

Words

 

No longer

Cleanse

My damned

Conscience.

 

I rest now,

Resigned to pain,

This carefully

Dug mound,

 

My bed,

Where love

And betrayal

Are one.

---

[1] Borgia- the name of a fifteenth century Italian family, who achieved power through dubious means; mentioned by name in Machiavelli’s “The Prince”.