Poem 122: Andronikos

somewhere in the Cardinal's letters
is the description of me
which overtook me on the way to Paris, a directive
most dire, a warning to all that I was not to be

welcomed, sheltered, employed in any degree
for I was a monster of nature, with many an adjective
somewhere in his letters is that description of me

i don't blame him. it was 1453
i was a mess. my Latin unreflective
most dire, a sign to all i was a refugee

a condition with which I did not agree
my behavior in Rome was hyper-expletive
cf., somewhere in his letters, the Cardinal's description of me

i went  then to northern Italy
fated to write my Brescian Invective
most dire, an insult to all in that city

when They let me out of jail finally
i was hitting my stride, most effective
somewhere in the cardinals letters that description of
me most dire,
to paris and beyond preceding me