Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, COMPOSITION, by GEORGE O'NEIL


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

COMPOSITION, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: To sleep: perchance to dream ...' he turned his
Last Line: And spat into the thames.
Subject(s): Dramatists; Plays & Playwrights; Poetry & Poets; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)


"To sleep: perchance to dream . . ." He turned his head.
And saw day's flare behind the heavy tower.
"Ay there's the rub; for in that sleep" -- he said,
And stared into the river for an hour.
"The pangs of disprized love . . ." He frowned and shifted.
Fog crept upon the unawakened town;
Out on the muddy flow a dark swan drifted
And far along the shore vague bells came down.

"The undiscovered country . . ." There he turned
And heard a woman weeping in the street,
And saw a window where a candle burned
And caught the echo of departing feet.

"Thus conscience does make cowards . . ." Morning drew
Pale silver to the marsh through willow stems.
He scraped the edges of a muddy shoe
And spat into the Thames.





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