William Shakespeare - A Tribute in Verse

By Ben Jonson, G K Chesterton and Dante Gabriel Rossetti

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford- upon-Avon in late April, 1565 and baptized there on the 26th of April. He was one of 8 children. Little is known about his life but what is evident is the enormous contribution he has made to world literature. His writing is progressive, magnificent in scope, breathtaking in execution. His plays and sonnets helped enable the English language to speak with a voice unmatched by any other.

William Shakespeare died on the 23rd April 1616, survived by his wife and two daughters. He was buried two days later in the chancel of the Holy Trinity Church.

Poets rarely praise another of their kind, but Shakespeare deserved all their praise and more. And our poets down the centuries have been lavish and fulsome with it. To paraphrase the Bard himself ‘If words shall be the food of love, read on’.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Portable Poetry
• Release date: Nov 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9781835470367

Book preview

William Shakespeare - A Tribute in Verse

An Introduction

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in late April, 1565 and baptized there on the 26th of April.  He was one of 8 children.  Little is known about his life but what is evident is the enormous contribution he has made to world literature.   His writing is progressive, magnificent in scope, breathtaking in execution.  His plays and sonnets helped enable the English language to speak with a voice unmatched by any other.

William Shakespeare died on the 23rd April 1616, survived by his wife and two daughters.  He was buried two days later in the chancel of the Holy Trinity Church.

Poets rarely praise another of their kind, but Shakespeare deserved all their praise and more. And our poets down the centuries have been lavish and fulsome with it. To paraphrase the Bard himself ‘If words shall be the food of love, read on’.

Index of Contents

To the Memory of My Beloved Master William Shakespeare and What He hath Left Us by Ben Jonson

On Shakespeare by John Milton

The Spirit of Shakespeare by George Meredith

Shakespeare by Frederick George Scott

Shakespeare by Robert Crawford

Shakespeare by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Shakespeare by Philip Henry Savage

Shakespeare by Oliver Wendell Holmes

Shakespeare 1916 by Sir Ronald Ross

Shakespeare by Matthew Arnold

Shakespeare by William Bell Scott

To Shakespeare {I} by Frances Anne Kemble

To Shakespeare {II} by Frances Anne Kemble

To Shakespeare {III} by Frances Anne Kemble

Shakespeare by Thomas Gent

Shakespeare by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

On the Site of a Mulberry Tree Planted by William Shakespeare; Felled by the Reverend F Gastrell by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

To Shakespeare by Lord Alfred Douglas

Shakespeare's Kingdom by Alfred Noyes

Song in Imitation of Shakespeare's by James Beattie

In a Letter to C.P. Espire, in Imitation of Shakespeare by William Cowper

With A Copy of Shakespeares Sonnets On Leaving College by Alan