Elvis was the only man from Northeast Mississippi who could shake his hips and still be loved by rednecks, cops, and hippies. - Jimmy Buffett
Today is the anniversary of both William Shakespeare's birth (1564) and death (1616) in Stratford-on-Avon (that's in England for youse that is geographically challenged). Little Billy wrote some pretty good stuff in his time. And many, if not most of us walking around, still quote the lad to this day even though in many cases the phrases have been slightly altered down through the years.
Examples: Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. All that glistens is not gold. The course of true love never did run smooth. A plague on both your houses. Method in the madness. The most unkindest cut of all. A pair of star crossed lovers. A spotless reputation. Heart on my sleeve. In my heart of hearts. The dogs of war. What the dickens. And one of my favorites: Let's kill all the lawyers.
In looking at the above, I've put together my own version, thinking foolishly as I most often do, that someday 450 years from now the mutants roaming this by then burned out planet will be quoting me, so here goes:
Something's rotten in the guest bathroom. All that glistens is not the K-Y. A plague on both your horses. Madness in my methadone. The most unkindest slut of all. A pair of crossed-eyed lovers. Food stains on my sleeve. The dogs next door. Let's kill all the editors. What the hell happened to my car keys... well, it is as we say in this biz, the first draft. I do however, find it ironical that Shakespeare's mom named her son after me.
Other historical news on this day the 23rd of April:
This is the birthday of our 15th President, James Buckanan - known as Old Buck. He never married. Hmmm with a nickname like that you wonder if maybe there was a reason nobody told anybody about.
According to Issac Newton Christ was crucified on this day in the year 0034.
St. George was beheaded.
McDonald's opens its first burger joint in China. I wonder how you say, "Do you want fries with that?" In Mandarin.
Motion pictures premiered in New York in 1896, and immediately the screenwriters went on strike demanding more money.
...and Bill Brooks wrote the following poem (or, it could have actually been on a day other than April 23rd, for all I know).
In Among The Trees
Sometimes I hear what sounds like a distant tom-tom
Beating way off in some woods and follow the
Sound across open fields of dry corn stubble, across
Ditches and past a half-finished rock wall and into the
Dark trees beyond, where contentious Crows complain.
Way back into the dark damp trees I go, following the
Sound, across fallen rotting logs you can crumble between
Your fingers, these once mighty trees that withstood unspeakable
Winters and saw dogs buried in among their roots and heard
The sounds of children’s laughter playing hide and seek. The
Same wood that stood sentinel as lover’s tasted their
First forbidden kiss stripping away their clothes and lying
Entangled, their smooth pale limbs to match the trees’ darker ones.
But now no light penetrates this dark and gloomy place where I
Come following the tom-tom beating that draws me farther in
Only to realize it is the sound of my own heart failing with time
& age like an unwound clock ignored by the owner in his haste
To live all of life. So I close my eyes and wait.
The book slips from my hand. My wife comes and turns out the light.
Maybe tomorrow will come, maybe it won’t.
Wind talks to trees still, but the lovers have grown old.
The children all fled,
The Birds doze silent upon the limbs – waiting, waiting, waiting.
Be well, be kind, don't dance with the light on.
http://www.authorbillbrooks.com/
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