Joshua Uterstaedt
King Telemachus Without Father, my kingship snatched Its trappings plundered by guests But now he’s here, a prince am I Who sees his crown restored Why else would Laertes depart And retreat to his ranch from the throne? Why else did the gods hurl Ulysses away But to wipe from the subjects his reign? And now the choice is snatched from me Who sits upon the throne With borrowed scepter clenched in fear Pried from a dead king’s hand And still they gaze above my seat And see his face through mine And even dead, the old recall And trust his legend’s might And gone his mortal trappings are That bound him to this earth So with them too his failings fly And thus the god remains A legend’s might is ill endured So there my trouble lies: He is but a name And I But a man 129