Shakespeare's tomb in Stratford, photo by Carlos DelgadoA Poem on Shakespeare’s Possibly Missing Skull, by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society April 23, 2025 Poetry, Shakespeare 20 Comments . Bardic Bones Who dug the dust? Who didn’t spare the stones? Who churned the earth that festered with a curse? Who had the gall to judder bardic bones, To steal the skull from him who gilded verse? These rumours rouse a mirthless moorland scene Of cauldron-gathered hags of rasping song Abubble with the juice of newt, a spleen, A spider’s fang and lizard’s sticky tongue. Alas, poor Playwright! Such a ghastly blow Is apt to leave a fairy queen bereft. This ghoulish deed, it stoops Othello low With eyes of envy-green that boast of theft From consecrated soil in moon-soaked view— A tragic tale so dark, it must be true. Such dark and tragic tales are always true— Will’s shovelled shell has fired my Muse’s core, Now simmering with scenes of vibrant hue Ablaze with Lear’s portentous clifftop roar. Her dreams are wreathed in essence of the Swan Whisked from inkless rest and quill-free peace. Like Hamlet, she has pangs to ponder on— To be or not—to soldier on or cease? She summons words that burn with Tybalt’s rage, With Portia’s flair, and wit that smacks of Puck. She knows for wordsmiths all the world’s a page— It’s time rhapsodic rhyme and rhythm struck. I’m set to shuffle off my lyric lull— My Muse is in the thrall of Shakespeare’s skull. Poetic fate is shaped by Shakespeare’s skull— His dazzling orb has blessed phrenetic waves With sparkle bold enough to buff the dull Prosaic plod of soporific staves. I feel a surge of sorcery at play— A wizard’s spell has scorched my eager ear With seas of iambs on this magic day Awash with monster flourishes of cheer. Linguistic gifts that glister in my mind Are bright enough to blind Malvolio With yellow-stocking zest—the sunshine kind— To swell a hungry poet’s folio. My Muse knows very well who jarred those bones— She dug the dust and didn’t spare the stones. . Poet’s Note Shakespeare’s tombstone, located in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, bears the following inscription: Good friend, for Jesus’ sake forbear, To dig the dust enclosed here. Blest be the man that spares these stones, And cursed be he that moves my bones. A 19th-century story claimed that Shakespeare’s skull was stolen from his grave in the late 18th century. In 2016, a ground-penetrating radar scan of his grave suggested that the skull might be missing. The church has not allowed an excavation to confirm or disprove the theory. . . Susan Jarvis Bryant is a poet originally from the U.K., now living on the Gulf Coast of Texas. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. ***Read Our Comments Policy Here*** 20 Responses Roy Eugene Peterson April 23, 2025 Susan, fantastic poetry with sublime words and phrases that stirred the imagination and thrilled my soul. Your visions and thoughts resound within my own skull with which I am certain no one will bother to separate from my “unarticulated” state. The words came in waves of pleasure that washed over me and demanded pouring over many times. I stand in awe of your skills and mastery of English of all kinds. Thank you for this special edifying treat that should be placed somewhere near Shakespeare’s grave as an homage and a tribute. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant April 26, 2025 Thank you, Roy, for your most encouraging and appreciative comment. I’m thrilled you enjoyed my work. I’m flattered by but a little nervous about your suggestion of the poem being placed near Shakespeare’s grave… I fear my plunderous muse may well land me in terrible trouble. Reply Mark Stellinga April 23, 2025 I’m betting big you’re one of Willie’s descendants, Susan :-), and one of the most talented! What a wonderfully original concept to pen on! If I thought I could manage a proper PhD-comment I’d give it a shot, but we all know better. All the same – you get a resounding A+ from me for this outstanding triplicate-sonnet, one of the very best pieces of yours I’ve enjoyed over the past few years. FLAWLESS! Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant April 26, 2025 Mark, I had far too much fun writing this piece to have gained an A+… I didn’t suffer enough for my art! I am however over the moon with your reaction. It always thrills me to know my words bring joy. This creation is dear to my heart, so I’m especially pleased. Thank you very much indeed! Reply Gigi Ryan April 23, 2025 Dear Susan, Your “Bardic Bones” is a feast for the mind. You have left me speechless and full. Thank you. Gigi Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant April 26, 2025 Gigi, this is a rather long poem for me, and I’m so happy you took the time to read it and that you enjoyed it. Your appreciative words of encouragement are a gift to me. Thank you! Reply Joseph S. Salemi April 23, 2025 This is an amazing set of sonnets, bejeweled with references to Shakespeare’s work and crafted with exquisite syntax around an essentially comic conceit (the missing skull). I understand that Milton’s skull was also stolen some decades after his death, and never recovered. That of Sir Thomas Browne was also appropriated. It’s true that the presence of a polished human skull was considered an appropriate accessory in one’s study or library, as a kind of sobering memento mori token. But most of such skulls were found in deserted areas or fields or worked-over churchyards where they were plentiful (recall the scene in Hamlet with Yorick’s skull), and not taken from tombs. After 1350, all of Europe was knee-deep in skulls. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant April 26, 2025 Joe, I just love the way your comment provides an historical and cultural depth that makes my playful premise seem even richer and deeper. I had no idea that the skulls of Milton and Sir Thomas Browne’s met with the same fate… how intriguing. And thank you too for your inspirational words of encouragement. They spur me on! Reply Cynthia Erlandson April 23, 2025 “She knows for wordsmiths all the world’s a page” — this line absolutely made my day! Like Joseph, I loved the many references to the Bard’s work that you’ve brilliantly woven into these sonnets. This is excellent, and entertaining! You are yourself a gilder of verse. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant April 26, 2025 Cynthia, you have homed in on the line that made me grin as I wrote it… and to be thought of as a “gilder of verse” – what more could I ask. Thank you most kindly. Reply Brian Yapko April 24, 2025 Yet another masterwork, Susan – one which is really rather astonishing in its complexity. You pose a riddle concerning the theft of Shakespeare’s skull (which has obvious Yorick resonances) and use this as the springboard for the crafting of three Shakespearian sonnets tied into one metaphysical package stuffed with Bardic Easter eggs to go along with those desecrated bones. It would be tempting to see this as three sonnets but for the fact that each one is like the act in the same fever dream play of references and in which we see the opening two lines of the first sonnet echoed – and answered – in the final two lines of the third. All of this is in the service of your presenting a tour de force of images and allusions to Shakespeare’s works and lore. I do not think I am brave enough or scholarly enough to unpack all of them, but even a cursory reading suggests that most lines contain some kind of reference, beginning with the opening line which references the curse upon his actual grave “dug the dust, spare the bones” which is part of the Bard’s epitaph. We are then led through a thrill ride as characters and play-scenes are swept past us. The Weird Sisters, of course, and then Titania from Midsummer, references to Othello, Hamlet, King Lear (my favorite line in all of Lear is “Howl, howl, howl, howl, howl”) the Swan Theater of Elizabethan London… And then there is the second sonnet which elaborates on the survey of Shakespeare’s work but which offers a spotlight to Hamlet and his reference with a slightly extended discussion of the question “to be or not to be…” which you extend personal meaning to with the question “to soldier on or not.” I know of your affinity for Portia but am pleased to see you bring in Romeo’s nemesis and Midsummer’s Wolfgang Puck (just kidding. I couldn’t resist.) We are clearly now talking about the poet herself who gathers into her arsenal the attributes of various Shakespeare characters, as if her personal strength is infused by these influences. And perhaps it is. Yes, for writers, “all the world’s a page” – a witty take on Jacques’ speech in As You Like It. But meaningful here because we sense gathering of force as you “shuffle off” your “lyric lull.” “Shuffle off” here has obvious resonances to the shuffling off of one’s “mortal coil.” That equates an inability to write with death. Alarming, but powerful. The third sonnet/stanza brings it all home as the poet experiences something of a rebirth through the works she has cited. It is as if an entire stage full of Shakespeare’s immortal characters have opened up their ranks to allow her in and then distilled their essences into her creative mind finally answering her own riddle from the first stanza/sonnet with her final couplet. It is not immediately apparent on the first reading, but this is a poem of astonishing psychological depth. It is no mere homage to Shakespeare but a tribute to the spiritual and creative power that Shakespeare has gifted the speaker with – a speaker whose initial apparent dispirit is wildly energized by inspiration from the Bard through his character avatars (Prospero seems particularly prominent – fitting since he is often associated with Shakespeare himself) and who is thereby restored – stronger and more articulate than ever. This is a magical, meaningful poem, Susan. Almost as an afterthought, I am intrigued by your phrasing of these lines: “… his magic day/Awash with monster flourishes of cheer.” At first I read your use of “monstrous” to simply suggest a vivid synonym for “huge.” But I have never known you to use a word without extreme sensitivity to its associations. I now re-read this as referencing all the varying tributes to Shakespeare on this day from which your Muse is affording you some relief. If that reading is wrong I’d like to know why this particular word-choice. I am aware that Shakespeare himself used the word “monstrous” quite frequently but usually to describe something… well, monstrous. I’m just curious about your word-choice here. And by answering this question, it may offer insight into the process of how a revered poet chooses words. Your Malvolio/folio rhyme is one for the ages and gave me the pleasure and strength to balance my checkbook — no easy task. Thank you, Susan, for copping to the theft of Shakespeare’s skull. I know you will take good care of it. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant April 26, 2025 Brian, your comment is a masterclass in close reading and literary appreciation. You have managed to tap into the depth and complexity of my poem with a psychological insight that astounds me. I love your term: “Bardic Easter eggs”. I did indeed hide a few of those for the reader to uncover, and you appear to have found the lion’s share. I love the way you tap into the humorous spirit of my poem with a bit of wit – “Wolfgang Puck” has me grinning. You are right when you liken each sonnet stanza to, “the act in the same fever dream play of references and in which we see the opening two lines of the first sonnet echoed – and answered – in the final two lines of the third.” I referred to three of Shakespeare’s plays to create a plot and a handful of his characters to convey emotion. The plays I chose were Hamlet for doubt and awakening, King Lear for crisis and decision, and The Tempest for transformation and power – your Prospero observations are spot on. With the characters, you’re right – I’m not just referencing Shakespeare. I wanted to conjure a mood through his works that highlights the dilemmas every writer faces… hence, “all the world’s a page”. The narrator has been blasted awake by Shakespeare’s magic, but now she’s the one with the wand. The final sonnet is the moment she stops being merely a fan of the Bard — she shuffles off her lyric lull (no more sitting back and waiting for inspiration) and becomes a creator-magician herself… all down to his influence… in the clutches of her naughty muse. Brian, I am so glad you’re curious about my “monster” word choice. It is my nod to Caliban’s speech beginning: “Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises, / Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not.” His words show that even “the monster” is touched by beauty, by music, and by poetry. Caliban’s rapture at the sounds of the island is wild, primal, even a little chaotic — but also joyful, beautiful, and truthful. The poetry that pours forth isn’t neat and tamed — it’s elemental. It is monster-flourished: exuberant, huge, maybe a little unruly — just how I like my poetry. Brian, thank you for your appreciation, your insight, your curiosity, your encouragement, and for giving me the opportunity to speak with passion about my poem. Reply C.B. Anderson April 24, 2025 No skullduggery here, just a feast of toothsome words. Shakespeare ate Bacon. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant April 26, 2025 C.B., you say so much in so few… and I’m laughing. I love “skullduggery” and as for poor Francis – you’re right! Thank you! Reply Maria April 25, 2025 Dear Susan, I can only echo all the comments here. We are so fortunate that we have been given so much to think about and enjoy. Thank you . Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant April 26, 2025 Maria, thank you very much for reading my poem and for your lovely comment. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Reply Margaret Coats April 26, 2025 Well dug, Susan. It’s well within the tradition of Shakespeare birthday poetry to gather bouquets of the Bard’s lines. In the best of such poems, they’re used as you do, to create an original work that belongs at once to Shakespeare and to the poet paying tribute. There are phrases or allusions from at least ten plays here. But at this point in your career, it’s good to look nor just at the Shakespeare touches, but at your own repertory for the occasion. During your first year at SCP, you published a Saint George’s day poem written some years earlier. April 23 is the feast day of George, patron of England. It was chosen for the Shakespeare birthday celebration because Shakespeare is, in effect, the literary patron of the land and its language. If I remember correctly, documentary evidence for William Shakespeare’s birth is the record of his baptism on April 26. The custom prevailing at the time was to baptize babies within a few days of birth, and therefore April 23 might well have been the birthday. During the past five years, you have assiduously celebrated it, with such poems as “Bardolatry” and “Bardic Bots.” I’ll recommend that interested readers consult our archives for April in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 to see your earlier works. Each has its own theme which Shakespeare helps you spell out. I use the word “spell” advisedly, because in this year’s “Bardic Bones,” more deeply than in others, you draw on your own devotion to the “dark side.” Not a rebuke, I hasten to say. This is such an important part of your work that Andrew Benson Brown chose your “Lucifer’s Lament” as the poem to feature in his October 2024 Classical Poets Live. You use it over several kinds of lyric, and employ it effectively in satire. Here the “dark side” helps you distinguish the capstone poem of five years observing Shakespeare’s birthday. In “Bardic Bones” Shakespeare’s skull, which as Joseph Salemi remarks, is essentially a comic conceit, outlines a mysterious riddle that you solve (as Brian Yapko details) in the course of three sonnets. These are chained sonnets, linked by repetition of final rhyme words. The device of chaining is rare, and more likely to have been used in Shakespeare’s time than in ours. A chained sequence need not be clasped, by the first rhyme word appearing as the last in the sequence, but yours is. That implies a circling conclusion, maybe referring to contours of the skull, and perhaps to your intent to leave aside Shakespeare’s birthday in future years. If Brian is correct that you wish to seek or find relief from Shakespeare tribute, you’ve earned it by this spellbinding poem rounding out a body of work in this lyric subgenre for a special occasion. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant April 26, 2025 There has been a persistent tendency from you, Margaret, to reframe poems at the Society of Classical Poets into the confines of Catholic dogma — not faith itself in its richness and mystery, but dogma narrowly applied as a tool of interpretation. In focusing on the perceived “dark side” of my poem (which you claim is not a “rebuke” – I beg to differ), you overlook the full scope of its universal themes. I would also point out, for clarity, that although you reference my poem “Lucifer’s Lament” here to suggest a darkness in my work, you notably didn’t engage with that poem when it was published. Your words appear less a matter of genuine dialogue than a convenient device to reinforce your preferred narrative of looking to the light – in other words “redemptive poetry”. This is a pattern with you that occurs in a forthright tone privately and in veiled terms publicly, which is why I feel the need to make it public. I am not just speaking for myself. The SCP has never been about rites, rituals, or reframing artistic expression into religious polemics. It has always been and must always be about rhythm, rhyme, and rapture – the joy of language, the daring of imagination, and the exploration of human experience in all its shades. I will continue to write in any subgenre my muse compels (including future Shakespearean tributes) and I welcome all readers who approach poetry with openness rather than agendas. I believe there is room enough here for many voices, many traditions, and many kinds of poetic devotion — not only those rooted in religious observation, but also those rooted in the broad, rich soil of human experience that Shakespeare himself so vividly captured. I believe the SCP is a home for many visions, not a pulpit for one. Reply Joseph S. Salemi April 26, 2025 Amen, Susan. It’s about time that this fact was expressed clearly and unambiguously: the SCP is not a religiously sanctioned website, nor is it linked to any sectarian denomination. It is certainly not a place for missionary activity and proselytizing. Brian Yapko April 26, 2025 I’m trying to imagine the professors in my poetry courses at UCLA instructing us on the theological correctness of the poetry of John Donne, John Milton and Gerard Manley Hopkins. Or assigning us the poetry of William Blake or William Butler Yeats to teach us spiritual principles. Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Roy Eugene Peterson April 23, 2025 Susan, fantastic poetry with sublime words and phrases that stirred the imagination and thrilled my soul. Your visions and thoughts resound within my own skull with which I am certain no one will bother to separate from my “unarticulated” state. The words came in waves of pleasure that washed over me and demanded pouring over many times. I stand in awe of your skills and mastery of English of all kinds. Thank you for this special edifying treat that should be placed somewhere near Shakespeare’s grave as an homage and a tribute. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant April 26, 2025 Thank you, Roy, for your most encouraging and appreciative comment. I’m thrilled you enjoyed my work. I’m flattered by but a little nervous about your suggestion of the poem being placed near Shakespeare’s grave… I fear my plunderous muse may well land me in terrible trouble. Reply
Mark Stellinga April 23, 2025 I’m betting big you’re one of Willie’s descendants, Susan :-), and one of the most talented! What a wonderfully original concept to pen on! If I thought I could manage a proper PhD-comment I’d give it a shot, but we all know better. All the same – you get a resounding A+ from me for this outstanding triplicate-sonnet, one of the very best pieces of yours I’ve enjoyed over the past few years. FLAWLESS! Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant April 26, 2025 Mark, I had far too much fun writing this piece to have gained an A+… I didn’t suffer enough for my art! I am however over the moon with your reaction. It always thrills me to know my words bring joy. This creation is dear to my heart, so I’m especially pleased. Thank you very much indeed! Reply
Gigi Ryan April 23, 2025 Dear Susan, Your “Bardic Bones” is a feast for the mind. You have left me speechless and full. Thank you. Gigi Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant April 26, 2025 Gigi, this is a rather long poem for me, and I’m so happy you took the time to read it and that you enjoyed it. Your appreciative words of encouragement are a gift to me. Thank you! Reply
Joseph S. Salemi April 23, 2025 This is an amazing set of sonnets, bejeweled with references to Shakespeare’s work and crafted with exquisite syntax around an essentially comic conceit (the missing skull). I understand that Milton’s skull was also stolen some decades after his death, and never recovered. That of Sir Thomas Browne was also appropriated. It’s true that the presence of a polished human skull was considered an appropriate accessory in one’s study or library, as a kind of sobering memento mori token. But most of such skulls were found in deserted areas or fields or worked-over churchyards where they were plentiful (recall the scene in Hamlet with Yorick’s skull), and not taken from tombs. After 1350, all of Europe was knee-deep in skulls. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant April 26, 2025 Joe, I just love the way your comment provides an historical and cultural depth that makes my playful premise seem even richer and deeper. I had no idea that the skulls of Milton and Sir Thomas Browne’s met with the same fate… how intriguing. And thank you too for your inspirational words of encouragement. They spur me on! Reply
Cynthia Erlandson April 23, 2025 “She knows for wordsmiths all the world’s a page” — this line absolutely made my day! Like Joseph, I loved the many references to the Bard’s work that you’ve brilliantly woven into these sonnets. This is excellent, and entertaining! You are yourself a gilder of verse. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant April 26, 2025 Cynthia, you have homed in on the line that made me grin as I wrote it… and to be thought of as a “gilder of verse” – what more could I ask. Thank you most kindly. Reply
Brian Yapko April 24, 2025 Yet another masterwork, Susan – one which is really rather astonishing in its complexity. You pose a riddle concerning the theft of Shakespeare’s skull (which has obvious Yorick resonances) and use this as the springboard for the crafting of three Shakespearian sonnets tied into one metaphysical package stuffed with Bardic Easter eggs to go along with those desecrated bones. It would be tempting to see this as three sonnets but for the fact that each one is like the act in the same fever dream play of references and in which we see the opening two lines of the first sonnet echoed – and answered – in the final two lines of the third. All of this is in the service of your presenting a tour de force of images and allusions to Shakespeare’s works and lore. I do not think I am brave enough or scholarly enough to unpack all of them, but even a cursory reading suggests that most lines contain some kind of reference, beginning with the opening line which references the curse upon his actual grave “dug the dust, spare the bones” which is part of the Bard’s epitaph. We are then led through a thrill ride as characters and play-scenes are swept past us. The Weird Sisters, of course, and then Titania from Midsummer, references to Othello, Hamlet, King Lear (my favorite line in all of Lear is “Howl, howl, howl, howl, howl”) the Swan Theater of Elizabethan London… And then there is the second sonnet which elaborates on the survey of Shakespeare’s work but which offers a spotlight to Hamlet and his reference with a slightly extended discussion of the question “to be or not to be…” which you extend personal meaning to with the question “to soldier on or not.” I know of your affinity for Portia but am pleased to see you bring in Romeo’s nemesis and Midsummer’s Wolfgang Puck (just kidding. I couldn’t resist.) We are clearly now talking about the poet herself who gathers into her arsenal the attributes of various Shakespeare characters, as if her personal strength is infused by these influences. And perhaps it is. Yes, for writers, “all the world’s a page” – a witty take on Jacques’ speech in As You Like It. But meaningful here because we sense gathering of force as you “shuffle off” your “lyric lull.” “Shuffle off” here has obvious resonances to the shuffling off of one’s “mortal coil.” That equates an inability to write with death. Alarming, but powerful. The third sonnet/stanza brings it all home as the poet experiences something of a rebirth through the works she has cited. It is as if an entire stage full of Shakespeare’s immortal characters have opened up their ranks to allow her in and then distilled their essences into her creative mind finally answering her own riddle from the first stanza/sonnet with her final couplet. It is not immediately apparent on the first reading, but this is a poem of astonishing psychological depth. It is no mere homage to Shakespeare but a tribute to the spiritual and creative power that Shakespeare has gifted the speaker with – a speaker whose initial apparent dispirit is wildly energized by inspiration from the Bard through his character avatars (Prospero seems particularly prominent – fitting since he is often associated with Shakespeare himself) and who is thereby restored – stronger and more articulate than ever. This is a magical, meaningful poem, Susan. Almost as an afterthought, I am intrigued by your phrasing of these lines: “… his magic day/Awash with monster flourishes of cheer.” At first I read your use of “monstrous” to simply suggest a vivid synonym for “huge.” But I have never known you to use a word without extreme sensitivity to its associations. I now re-read this as referencing all the varying tributes to Shakespeare on this day from which your Muse is affording you some relief. If that reading is wrong I’d like to know why this particular word-choice. I am aware that Shakespeare himself used the word “monstrous” quite frequently but usually to describe something… well, monstrous. I’m just curious about your word-choice here. And by answering this question, it may offer insight into the process of how a revered poet chooses words. Your Malvolio/folio rhyme is one for the ages and gave me the pleasure and strength to balance my checkbook — no easy task. Thank you, Susan, for copping to the theft of Shakespeare’s skull. I know you will take good care of it. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant April 26, 2025 Brian, your comment is a masterclass in close reading and literary appreciation. You have managed to tap into the depth and complexity of my poem with a psychological insight that astounds me. I love your term: “Bardic Easter eggs”. I did indeed hide a few of those for the reader to uncover, and you appear to have found the lion’s share. I love the way you tap into the humorous spirit of my poem with a bit of wit – “Wolfgang Puck” has me grinning. You are right when you liken each sonnet stanza to, “the act in the same fever dream play of references and in which we see the opening two lines of the first sonnet echoed – and answered – in the final two lines of the third.” I referred to three of Shakespeare’s plays to create a plot and a handful of his characters to convey emotion. The plays I chose were Hamlet for doubt and awakening, King Lear for crisis and decision, and The Tempest for transformation and power – your Prospero observations are spot on. With the characters, you’re right – I’m not just referencing Shakespeare. I wanted to conjure a mood through his works that highlights the dilemmas every writer faces… hence, “all the world’s a page”. The narrator has been blasted awake by Shakespeare’s magic, but now she’s the one with the wand. The final sonnet is the moment she stops being merely a fan of the Bard — she shuffles off her lyric lull (no more sitting back and waiting for inspiration) and becomes a creator-magician herself… all down to his influence… in the clutches of her naughty muse. Brian, I am so glad you’re curious about my “monster” word choice. It is my nod to Caliban’s speech beginning: “Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises, / Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not.” His words show that even “the monster” is touched by beauty, by music, and by poetry. Caliban’s rapture at the sounds of the island is wild, primal, even a little chaotic — but also joyful, beautiful, and truthful. The poetry that pours forth isn’t neat and tamed — it’s elemental. It is monster-flourished: exuberant, huge, maybe a little unruly — just how I like my poetry. Brian, thank you for your appreciation, your insight, your curiosity, your encouragement, and for giving me the opportunity to speak with passion about my poem. Reply
C.B. Anderson April 24, 2025 No skullduggery here, just a feast of toothsome words. Shakespeare ate Bacon. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant April 26, 2025 C.B., you say so much in so few… and I’m laughing. I love “skullduggery” and as for poor Francis – you’re right! Thank you! Reply
Maria April 25, 2025 Dear Susan, I can only echo all the comments here. We are so fortunate that we have been given so much to think about and enjoy. Thank you . Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant April 26, 2025 Maria, thank you very much for reading my poem and for your lovely comment. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Reply
Margaret Coats April 26, 2025 Well dug, Susan. It’s well within the tradition of Shakespeare birthday poetry to gather bouquets of the Bard’s lines. In the best of such poems, they’re used as you do, to create an original work that belongs at once to Shakespeare and to the poet paying tribute. There are phrases or allusions from at least ten plays here. But at this point in your career, it’s good to look nor just at the Shakespeare touches, but at your own repertory for the occasion. During your first year at SCP, you published a Saint George’s day poem written some years earlier. April 23 is the feast day of George, patron of England. It was chosen for the Shakespeare birthday celebration because Shakespeare is, in effect, the literary patron of the land and its language. If I remember correctly, documentary evidence for William Shakespeare’s birth is the record of his baptism on April 26. The custom prevailing at the time was to baptize babies within a few days of birth, and therefore April 23 might well have been the birthday. During the past five years, you have assiduously celebrated it, with such poems as “Bardolatry” and “Bardic Bots.” I’ll recommend that interested readers consult our archives for April in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 to see your earlier works. Each has its own theme which Shakespeare helps you spell out. I use the word “spell” advisedly, because in this year’s “Bardic Bones,” more deeply than in others, you draw on your own devotion to the “dark side.” Not a rebuke, I hasten to say. This is such an important part of your work that Andrew Benson Brown chose your “Lucifer’s Lament” as the poem to feature in his October 2024 Classical Poets Live. You use it over several kinds of lyric, and employ it effectively in satire. Here the “dark side” helps you distinguish the capstone poem of five years observing Shakespeare’s birthday. In “Bardic Bones” Shakespeare’s skull, which as Joseph Salemi remarks, is essentially a comic conceit, outlines a mysterious riddle that you solve (as Brian Yapko details) in the course of three sonnets. These are chained sonnets, linked by repetition of final rhyme words. The device of chaining is rare, and more likely to have been used in Shakespeare’s time than in ours. A chained sequence need not be clasped, by the first rhyme word appearing as the last in the sequence, but yours is. That implies a circling conclusion, maybe referring to contours of the skull, and perhaps to your intent to leave aside Shakespeare’s birthday in future years. If Brian is correct that you wish to seek or find relief from Shakespeare tribute, you’ve earned it by this spellbinding poem rounding out a body of work in this lyric subgenre for a special occasion. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant April 26, 2025 There has been a persistent tendency from you, Margaret, to reframe poems at the Society of Classical Poets into the confines of Catholic dogma — not faith itself in its richness and mystery, but dogma narrowly applied as a tool of interpretation. In focusing on the perceived “dark side” of my poem (which you claim is not a “rebuke” – I beg to differ), you overlook the full scope of its universal themes. I would also point out, for clarity, that although you reference my poem “Lucifer’s Lament” here to suggest a darkness in my work, you notably didn’t engage with that poem when it was published. Your words appear less a matter of genuine dialogue than a convenient device to reinforce your preferred narrative of looking to the light – in other words “redemptive poetry”. This is a pattern with you that occurs in a forthright tone privately and in veiled terms publicly, which is why I feel the need to make it public. I am not just speaking for myself. The SCP has never been about rites, rituals, or reframing artistic expression into religious polemics. It has always been and must always be about rhythm, rhyme, and rapture – the joy of language, the daring of imagination, and the exploration of human experience in all its shades. I will continue to write in any subgenre my muse compels (including future Shakespearean tributes) and I welcome all readers who approach poetry with openness rather than agendas. I believe there is room enough here for many voices, many traditions, and many kinds of poetic devotion — not only those rooted in religious observation, but also those rooted in the broad, rich soil of human experience that Shakespeare himself so vividly captured. I believe the SCP is a home for many visions, not a pulpit for one. Reply
Joseph S. Salemi April 26, 2025 Amen, Susan. It’s about time that this fact was expressed clearly and unambiguously: the SCP is not a religiously sanctioned website, nor is it linked to any sectarian denomination. It is certainly not a place for missionary activity and proselytizing.
Brian Yapko April 26, 2025 I’m trying to imagine the professors in my poetry courses at UCLA instructing us on the theological correctness of the poetry of John Donne, John Milton and Gerard Manley Hopkins. Or assigning us the poetry of William Blake or William Butler Yeats to teach us spiritual principles.
