Jake's Flea Market

my father delivered me from
those accusations that pursued me in rome

from the trials that
awaited me in my future   

from my refusals to 
recant   or renounce  

from the tortures 
from my execution

mine was the face of a boy then
before beard growth and bare as a woman’s

father starched away and chalked
the dark of my southern complexion

my familiarity to the romans   
my royalty

dressed in my sister’s gown
i was delivered to the last night’s
lodging of the king of denmark

at dawn my father watched
from the northern wall the dane’s carriage
fade from view