For the taking by Katherine Latosinsky
CBC Books | | Posted: May 30, 2019 11:28 AM | Last Updated: June 10, 2019
2019 winner: Grade 10 to 12 category
Katherine Latosinsky is the Grade 10 to 12 winner of the 2019 Shakespeare Selfie Student Writing Challenge. This annual writing competition challenges students to write a soliloquy or monologue in the voice of a Shakespearean character based on a prominent news, pop culture or current affairs event from the last year (April 2018 to April 2019).
Latosinsky, who attends Catholic Central High School in London, Ont., wrote about CRISPR-Cas9 human genome editing from the perspective of Macbeth's Second Witch.
Soon the witching hour nears,
Summon panic! Conjure fear!
As the crisp wind moans and bites,
Shrieks of infants pierce the night.
Summon panic! Conjure fear!
As the crisp wind moans and bites,
Shrieks of infants pierce the night.
Mix within a poisoned stew,
Tusk of dead beast raised anew,
Lucent mouse and brawny dog,
Heart torn out from squealing hog,
Crawlers from their structure changed,
legs and claws all rearranged,
Threads of fate in double coil,
Throw into the roaring boil.
Nature maim and reason mangle,
Good and wicked deeds entangle.
Tusk of dead beast raised anew,
Lucent mouse and brawny dog,
Heart torn out from squealing hog,
Crawlers from their structure changed,
legs and claws all rearranged,
Threads of fate in double coil,
Throw into the roaring boil.
Nature maim and reason mangle,
Good and wicked deeds entangle.
In the cauldron mould a tool,
Bound to fall to hands of fools,
Which, as once with spear and knife,
Grants man lease on death and life;
Soon shall chaos come about,
Great as fire, plague and draught,
As rule falls to mortal wills,
Which may feed but often kill.
Nature maim and reason mangle,
Good and wicked deeds entangle.
Bound to fall to hands of fools,
Which, as once with spear and knife,
Grants man lease on death and life;
Soon shall chaos come about,
Great as fire, plague and draught,
As rule falls to mortal wills,
Which may feed but often kill.
Nature maim and reason mangle,
Good and wicked deeds entangle.
To the the sulphur–steaming pot,
Add the rest and set the rot;
Vermin marked to kill their spawn,
Seeds that grow when warmth is gone,
Monstrous fish and blood-stained wool,
Milk cow turned to raging bull;
Now with chants and grand commotion,
Leave complete the vile potion.
Nature maim and reason mangle,
Good and wicked deeds entangle.
Add the rest and set the rot;
Vermin marked to kill their spawn,
Seeds that grow when warmth is gone,
Monstrous fish and blood-stained wool,
Milk cow turned to raging bull;
Now with chants and grand commotion,
Leave complete the vile potion.
Nature maim and reason mangle,
Good and wicked deeds entangle.
Man receives in palm of hand,
Means to alter at command,
Crooked spines and poisoned blood,
Anguish felt in torrent floods,
Flesh where serpent cancers creep
Shedding skins to shirk defeat,
Broken forms and crumbling minds;
Mending them is only kind,
Save that once the code is cracked,
What comes out will ne'er go back.
Nature maim and reason mangle,
Good and wicked deeds entangle.
Means to alter at command,
Crooked spines and poisoned blood,
Anguish felt in torrent floods,
Flesh where serpent cancers creep
Shedding skins to shirk defeat,
Broken forms and crumbling minds;
Mending them is only kind,
Save that once the code is cracked,
What comes out will ne'er go back.
Nature maim and reason mangle,
Good and wicked deeds entangle.
Twins of method, converse aims,
Dreams and nightmares birthed the same;
As the wheat grows with the tares,
Foul is fast entwined with fair.
Midst the call to hack and chop,
All are deaf to cries of "stop";
See how man is ill-prepared,
For the power he now bears.
Nature maim and reason mangle,
Good and wicked deeds entangle.
Dreams and nightmares birthed the same;
As the wheat grows with the tares,
Foul is fast entwined with fair.
Midst the call to hack and chop,
All are deaf to cries of "stop";
See how man is ill-prepared,
For the power he now bears.
Nature maim and reason mangle,
Good and wicked deeds entangle.
Look ahead to what will come,
See the fruit of all that's done;
Row on row of legions vast,
Every one just as the last;
Awful strength and soaring height,
Leaner build and sharper bite;
History now makes reprise,
Mirrored back through azure eyes.
Nature maim and reason mangle,
Good and wicked deeds entangle.
See the fruit of all that's done;
Row on row of legions vast,
Every one just as the last;
Awful strength and soaring height,
Leaner build and sharper bite;
History now makes reprise,
Mirrored back through azure eyes.
Nature maim and reason mangle,
Good and wicked deeds entangle.
Now the web of strife is spun,
Nothing further needs be done,
Only watch as wisdom wanes;
Order falls when discord reigns.
Nothing further needs be done,
Only watch as wisdom wanes;
Order falls when discord reigns.