Poets logo

Everyone Used To Be Royal

With Thanks and Respect to Eliot and His Prufrock)

By Roy StevensPublished 12 months ago Updated 12 months ago 1 min read
11
Everyone Used To Be Royal
Photo by Vlah Dumitru on Unsplash

I’m not Prince Hamlet

Nor ever was and

Horatio am I not.

Of Ophelia I can honestly attest

That her grace is not mine to arrest

The attention of the teeming lot.

Polonius would laugh to scorn

That I was ever like him born

To fumble syntax and bring a laugh

Of pity, empathy or contempt for truth

And Laertes’ rage misplaced an age

The Ghost I’m not, spoke right for sooth.

Guildenstern, Rosencrantz who matter more

Than no matter, can’t be me

Gertrude would not see me in her mirror

Upon the stage, nor Claudius come near me

While Hamlet turns the page.

Osric or the grave diggers would never see themselves

Reflected in my eyes where pools of water delve.

Am I backstage, a technician or perhaps director?

There’s no Deus ex Machina in “Hamlet”

Nor musician, painter, scene erector

Which I could contribute to this performance.

Could I be the rapier or foil

Brought out from hiding to despoil

The hopes and dreams of Denmark’s chance

At greatness in the Ruler’s glance?

No, not I nor potted plant collecting dust

Upstage amongst the bric brac to distract

The viewer’s eye, the watcher’s trust.

No, I am not the trapdoor even

For that is you between hell and heaven.

And among the audience you won’t find me

For I am not welcome in this or any act.

The players gather, take the stage

The watchers wither, weaken and age.

But I am not there it’s true

Unworthy of note, unknown to you.

social commentary
11

About the Creator

Roy Stevens

Just one bad apple can spoil a beautiful basket. The toxins seep throughout and...

Reader insights

Outstanding

Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!

Top insights

  1. Compelling and original writing

    Creative use of language & vocab

  2. Masterful proofreading

    Zero grammar & spelling mistakes

  3. Easy to read and follow

    Well-structured & engaging content

  1. Excellent storytelling

    Original narrative & well developed characters

  2. Expert insights and opinions

    Arguments were carefully researched and presented

  3. Heartfelt and relatable

    The story invoked strong personal emotions

Add your insights

Comments (5)

Sign in to comment
  • Donna Fox (HKB)11 months ago

    I like the rhythm and feel of this one as I read it aloud. I also really appreciate the call backs to countless infamous literary characters and genius'. There's just something so concise and beautiful about the way this was constructed! Great work Roy!

  • Lamar Wiggins11 months ago

    There was style and elegance at work here. And the flow was pretty flawless. Great Read, my friend.

  • Ahna Lewis12 months ago

    Now as an English teacher, I definitely enjoyed this one! Loved the creative continuation of the line from Prufrock and the references to all the Hamlet characters.

  • Dylan 12 months ago

    I enjoyed reading this, very interesting! Well done 👍

  • Donna Renee12 months ago

    Oooh this is very interesting, reads like a real riddle. 🤔 🔍

Find us on social media

Miscellaneous links

  • Explore
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Support

© 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.