The Ghost of Stratford

Dramatis Personae:

* WILL: William Shakespeare, the Bard, a spectral figure.

* VALENTINE: A young man, lovesick and tongue-tied.

Scene I:

(VALENTINE stands alone in a moonlit garden, pacing restlessly. He addresses the night sky.)

VALENTINE:

O fickle moon, that dost observe my plight,

And cast a silver pallor on this ground,

Witness my woe, my love-lorn, sleepless night!

She walks these paths, yet I, a silent hound,

Can only gaze, and sigh, and yearn in vain,

For words to weave a spell, a sweet refrain.

My heart doth overflow, a brimming cup,

But from my lips, no eloquence doth sup.

Oh, for the Bard, that master of the rhyme,

To lend his wit, to aid me in this time!

If spirits roam, and shadows softly glide,

Oh, Bard of Avon, hear my anguished tide!

(Suddenly, WILL appears, shimmering into existence. Both men startle.)

VALENTINE:

By heavens! Who art thou, and whence dost thou arise?

A vision born of moonlight, or a phantom's guise?

WILL:

Fear not, young man. Though I may seem a shade,

I am but Will, the playwright, once the trade

Of words my life, my passion, and my art.

But now I wander, lost in some strange part,

Between the realms, a ghost, a fleeting dream,

With memories fading, like a fading stream.

I know not how I came, nor where I'm bound,

But this pale world, it offers solid ground.

VALENTINE:

You speak of words, of art, of sweet discourse,

And I, poor soul, am lost for want of source.

I love a lady, fair beyond compare,

But lack the wit, the charm, to truly share

The feelings deep within this aching breast.

I long to woo her, but my words are suppressed.

WILL:

Ah, young love! A timeless, tender plight.

But fear not, youth, for love finds many a flight.

Observe her, learn her laughter, mark her gaze,

And let your heart, not tongue, dictate your ways.

True love, my boy, is not a crafted line,

But honesty, a soul that doth intertwine.

Remember, sonnets, plays, are but a guide,

A framework built, where feelings may reside.

VALENTINE:

But how to speak? How to convey the fire

That burns within, this passionate desire?

WILL:

There is no formula, no magic spell,

To conjure love, and make its wonders dwell.

Be yourself, let your true feelings shine,

And trust that honesty will truly twine

Around her heart. Sometimes, a simple phrase,

A whispered word, can win a lifetime's praise.

And if it fails, remember this, my friend:

Love's path is winding, and it knows no end.

There will be others, hearts that beat as one,

Where words flow freely, 'neath the setting sun.

VALENTINE:

Your wisdom, Bard, a balm upon my soul.

I thank you, sir, beyond all earthly control.

WILL:

(Gazing around, lost in thought)

This strange new world… where am I now confined?

A purgatory, or the Bardo's mind?

A fleeting glimpse of life, before the void,

Or a new journey, strangely overjoyed?

(WILL begins to shimmer and fade, dissolving into thin air.)

VALENTINE:

(Staring at the empty space)

Was it a dream? A vision, fleeting, rare?

Or did the Bard, in spectral form, truly care?

The moon still shines, a silent, ghostly guide,

And in my heart, a newfound hope resides.

Perhaps, with courage, and a touch of grace,

I can find words, and win this lady's face.

(VALENTINE exits, a newfound determination in his step.)

The End.

© 2025 Steve Raines