The Readers Dilemma - A Shakespearean Parody

Because every reader faces this problem on a nightly basis......

To read, or not to read: that is the question:

Whether ’tis easier in the mind to suffer

The bags and monotony of sleepless night

Or to take eyes to a sea of pages,

And by the midnight oil end them? To read: to sleep;

No more; and by reading I’ll end the questions.

The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks

of fangirl-crushing cliff hangers – dilemma!

Oh! The endless question: to read or sleep?

To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub;

For in that sleep what dreams may come

When we have put down that tempting book?

Will the questions pause, or will I dream

of the villain, mystr’y, and the heroes quest?

Who’d bear the tossing and turning of restlessness

Will they escape the evil villain’s layer?

But my so heavy lids beg to be clos’d

And I’ll be scorned for staying up so late;

I should be patient and wait until tomorrow,

When I’ll be rested and can stay awake.

With this dilemma, what do others do?

They sleep and dream – ignorant to my pains.

They sleep while a character rests on the porch of Death!

The undiscover’d treasure hiding in paper chests

No traveller returns, they are drawn in

And will never be released from the plot

Until they discover the final word.

Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;

And thus I don’t know whether read or sleep, 

The question fades; the pale cast of thought,

And while some may snuff out the candle 

With this regard their currents turn awry,

And lose the name of action.–Soft you now!

The Book! The story! I will not let go,

Until the back cover sits overturn’d.

And some wise shakespeare words to finish it off -

 - From Hamlet


 - Who knew, right?

 How did that get here????? You know what - never mind. Shakespeare in the park? - It fits juuuuuuust fiiiiiiiiine.