Saw a modern gangland movie version’s retelling of Macbeth, which I studied in school years ago…
A case of listening to witches’ hearsay (or heresy?),
hearing only what he wanted to hear, his heart’s desires spelled out,
trapping and tripping himself with over-confidence.
Did the witches tell his inevitable future,
or did he make his own doom inevitable by fulfilling their prophecy
with his greed for a preferred future?
Did the witches trick him,
knowing what he wanted to hear?
Perhaps, but they did warn too, though he did not heed.
Was it all predestined?
If he believed so, he needn’t have to put himself through the toil and trouble.
If it wasn’t so, it was the fault of his ambition, conditioned by the treachery of the witches.
So is there predestination after all?
Safer always to think there isn’t.
Safer to toil even if it’s troublesome, to overcome our demons.
How could he trust any witch,
much more to say a trio of them?
Because he listened with the witchery of his already darkened heart.