The Death of Marco Polo
An uneasy priest come
to administer last rites
admonishes Marco Polo
to confess his sins,
tell the truth about
his celebrated travels.
Everyone knows he has
exaggerated the facts,
told extravagant falsehoods
and fabulous tales of
golden cities in the East.
Surely he must set
the record straight here
before the eyes of men,
in the presence of God.
Marco motions the good
father to lean closer,
and, mustering what
strength he has left,
whispers loudly enough
for all to hear: I have
not told the half of it!
……
This poem is from the chapbook Inventing the Americas by William Heath (Finishing Line Press), and is available at https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/inventing-the-americas-by-william-heath/
The thirteen poem sequence of Inventing the Americas depicts the true yet fabulous tale of how Christóbal Colón and Americus Vespucci explored the Western Hemisphere and why the continents were named for the latter not the former. Based on years of research and teaching, William Heath captures with poetic precision and telling detail what actually happened, even though some events are almost beyond belief. These voyages, bringing in their wake horrific consequences for indigenous peoples, profoundly changed the world.
William Heath has published three poetry books: The Walking Man, Steel Valley Elegy, and Going Places; two chapbooks, Night Moves in Ohio and Inventing the Americas; three novels: The Children Bob Moses Led (winner of the Hackney Award), Devil Dancer, and Blacksnake’s Path; a work of history, William Wells and the Struggle for the Old Northwest (winner of two Spur Awards and the Oliver Hazard Perry Award); and a collection of interviews, Conversations with Robert Stone. He lives in Annapolis. http://www.williamheathbooks.com
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