(National Poetry Month, Day 23)

Today is the anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death, and possibly also of his birth (in different years, of course!).

Shakespeare’s sonnets are very well known. Large swaths of his plays are written in verse, too, leading to some powerful poetic pyrotechnics embedded in his plays of all types.

Today, in honor of Shakespeare day and my sister’s jury duty (what a banner day!), let’s read “The Quality of Mercy,” spoken by Portia in The Merchant of Venice.

The Quality of Mercy
by William Shakespeare

The quality of mercy is not strained;
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 thronèd monarch better than his crown.
His scepter 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 sceptered sway:
It is enthronèd 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. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this:
That in the course of justice none of us
Should see salvation. We do pray for mercy,
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea,
Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence ’gainst the merchant there.