To Will

This date in history is one my favorite and most consistent online searches. Truth be told I am more often than not disappointed to find nothing but the most mind-numbingly boring minutae. Idaho selected the potato as it's state vegetable today on this date in 1923 or 1894 or 1978. Saran Wrap was patented on this date in 1947 or 1959 or 1961. Go figure. Today I made a surprising discovery. I uncovered that it is the anniversary of Hank Aaron's very first home run in the Major Leagues. Interesting. And good for him! But I chose to delve further and found something else. Not that Maine's state tree is the Pine Tree. More interesting (if you can imagine!) and not mentioned on Good Morning America which opted to tout something about Shirley Temple ad nauseam. Was it her 80th birthday? I tuned it right out. But I do recall glancing up to see the little nymph shaking her booty amidst much older Humberts to her signature number "Good Ship Lollypop". Gag.


Indeed, it seems today marks the anniversary of William Shakespeare's death. He died at the age of 52 on April 23, 1616. My sketchy math skills determine that he's been dead for 392 years now. Cause of death is unknown though I've read everything from an over-indulgent drinking binge, to cancer, to pneumonia, to the plague. Such a mystery is Will. Did he even write MacBeth?




Shakespeare's tombstone in Stratford's Holy Trinity Church bears this inscription, said to have been written by him:


Good friend,
For Jesus' sake forbear to dig the dust enclosed here.
Blest be the man that spares these stones,
and curst be he that moves my bones.

Love him or loathe him, The Bard is dead. But his influence on drama, poetry, literature (redundant of me, no?), language, art and popular culture is undeniable even after nearly 400 years of his last breath. The words "assassination" and "bump" were coined by Shakespeare. If you say "laugh it off" you are quoting Shakespeare. The words "puke" and "bedroom" originated in the works of Shakespeare. Some of you use those words in the same sentence weekly.

Here's to the Bard. Cheers!