Why did Shakespeare write Shakespeare

If vilia meritur vulgus* is true,

The groundlings who made up his theatre

Would find his language hard to chew.

If wealth were Shakespeare’s ‘lighted shaft’,

As modern historians deduce,

Then nonsense would more hit the mark

Than the brilliance he produced.

But, desiring immortality,

He wrote ‘So long lives this’,

This shows his partiality

Towards eternalness.

So I think both accounts are just:

His words, like gold, will never rust.

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Copyright (c) Rowan Polo 2005. All Rights Reserved

* Let the vulgar mass admire trash

posted by rowanp at 4:51 pm & filed under poetry, culture, art, philosophy |