h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: saving the best till last - A86180510
Author: frannie - U14838357

Signifying Everything
Shakespeare means *uck all in Hackney,

Where the tragedies are re-enacted every day
As bad boy Romeos take centre stage
Injecting the same poison that’s already sent their Juliet’s
To an unmarked overcrowded grave.

And somewhere in a tower block in Mare Street,
Another adolescent Hamlet sobs a soliloquy.
As his mothers shags an uncle in her bedroom
Where the photo of his absent father is displayed.

There’s another Desdemona at the doctors
Seeking comfort in the pages of Hello.
Wearing green eye shadow to camouflage
The evidence of her Othello’s rage

King Lear is feeding pigeons on a park bench.
A senile old boy disconnected with the world.
Disregarded by his daughters who have lost him
In their bitter battle for his right-to-buy.

Macbeth is dodging daggers at the Kings Head.
Drinking to the memory of his dead wife
Whose has finally washed her bloody hands of him.
He’s interrupted by the barman calling time.

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow,
Shakespeare means *uck all in Hackney.

I love this.

I think you mean 'Juliets', no apostrophe, and 'who' instead of 'whose' in the penultimate stanza. But this is great.

I don't know Hackney. But I think I do, after this.

thanks, apostrophes (should there be one there, ha ha). Yep hands up, I know nothing. Thanks for the 'whose' as well. What can I say, grammar was never my strong point(maybe that should be is). But I hope you like the sentiment of the poem.

I do. It's great.

I think this is great.

Both a vivid depiction of the everyday, and a reminder why Shakespeare is universal.

Another typo though- The second stanza third line should read " As his mother shags an uncle"

i love this too

i love that it is so honest...
brutal almost
yet without being horrifying

it makes shakespeare more real to me
somehow brings it up to our times
but still back there...