WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE DAY

23rd April

Here is a poem in celebration of William Shakespeare. It first appeared in Paperbound Magazine – Past Future edition Summer 2023

(paperboundmag.com)

WILL AND HIS QUILL

(Fact and Fiction of a Playwright known as Will Shakespeare)

Will, with his Quill, was a famous writer.

He wrote and performed for the Queen, to delight her.

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He came from a place called Stratford-on-Avon,

but he spent many years in his London haven.

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He wrote sonnets and ballads and plays, did our Will,

scratching away with his goose-feather Quill.

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Plays about Kings with murderous themes.

Humour and tragedy, fairies and dreams.

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His plays were performed in a place called the Globe,

where he strutted the stage in his doublet and hose.

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The Queen came to see him and Will was delighted.

But alas, though quite famous, poor Will wasn’t knighted.

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When the old Queen died, he performed for the King:

Macbeth and Hamlet – ‘The play’s the thing.’

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But demands from the King, were too much for Will,

who scribbled so hard that he blunted his Quill.

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He died, legend says, from an excess of think.

Poor Will and his Quill had run out of ink.