William Shakespeare is regarded as one of the finest dramatic writers in the English language. His plays, poems, and sonnets are masterpieces whose timeless themes live on for new generations of readers to discover before they lose themselves in the drivel that comprises much of today's writing.
Today's Poetry Sunday offering isn't a poem per se, but an excerpt from a famous play by The Bard of Avon ...
The Quality of Mercy
(from The Merchant of Venice)
by William Shakespeare
The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's,
When mercy seasons justice.
Not applicable in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Texas.
And in case you are interested, here's a video of Michelle Shocked's great song "Quality of Mercy."
Bilbo
4 comments:
Portia was right.
That was a magnificent passage. Very apropos.
I thought Missouri was right behind Texas in executions but thought I'd better check the numbers before stating that as a fact. It turns out we are a distant 5th. It would be hard to catch Texas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_the_United_States
BUT, living in the St. Louis area can be risky.
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/executions-county#overall
I love that passage. It counsels kindness and forebearance.
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