there is an avalanche
all the books are opened
all the words coming off the page
the spells unloosed
” it is the raising of the complete man in a vertical straight line
any other operation is black magic”

prospero solemnly intones:
in the poisoned robes of Form
i have wandered this island
performed works of divination
commanding live spirit from dead matter
i freed monsters from trees
i pulled seraphs from thin air
i make the birds sing my songs
i make the flowers grow in gods name
i cause the moon to appear in my glass
i scry for angels in the dark summer afternoons
i imbibe the drink of the cactus
it sure tastes strangely sweet as it goes down inside
the cactus sends a spirit to meet me
a spirit in my chambers
mescalito all in green-o
mescalito moving and changing
mescalito with the dry laugh
he holds out his hand to shake
prospero pulls back his hand covered in tiny spines
more dry laughter
the spines are gone
prosperos small tanned hands healed
look at your hands!
now bleeding stigmata
crimson gore in my palms
hole right thru my hands
o mescalito
i’ll give you one-o
green grows old san pedro sings mescalito
am i the fucking nazz? wails prospero
dont nail me up you bastards sings mescalito
oooh thats gotta hurt! says a voice in the future
bang bang bang go the romans
oh fuck oh god whimpers jesus/ prospero /shakespeare
why cant i feel it ? sings mescalito
is it just a lie?
jim morrison goes wand’rin’ round his neighbourhood
liberating cacti in mescalitos name
jesus awoke before dawn
intones prospero dressed in black
he leans into the microphone
as the organ swirls in rococo arabesques behind him
then an interruption
father?
yes, miranda?
father….i want to……
yes …..what is it, my childe…?
father….i want to….leave ….all this…
the audience suck in their breath
voice from another room : what about jesus…?
mescalito grooves to abraxas
i feel just like jesus son he sings
meanwhile in jerusalem, cal
they bang up olde jimbo on a cross
and hes screaming n writhing in his leather
no no no hes singing
bowie playing judas in the crowd says
you couldnt believe you were in this song
marc bolan playing lazarus says
i danced myself out of the tomb
prospero suddenly comes back to his chambers
its late afternoon
on his island in the mediterranean sea
this man has studied nature
and moves in its grooves obtaining results
that seem miraculous to you common era men
prospero looks around for mescalito
but cactus man has gone from this plane
ariel the spirit arrives
why hast thou not delivered that which thou hast promised?
prospero spins round angrily
how dare you speak that way to your lord?
ha! the sprite whirls flaming in the air
even prospero only catches glimpses of her
as she really is
a pale lithe naked winged creature
emitting light and dazzling flashes
why hast thou not delivered that which thou hast promised?
prospero
the magician
a performer
high wire days
long way down
summon houdini
summon anubis
summon yourself
prospero breathes in deep
ok ariel he says
theres just one more thing i want you to do….