Tongues in trees, books in brooks: Happy Birthday, William Shakespeare!
“And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.” William Shakespeare
Here it is the day after Earth Day and many consider it William Shakespeare’s birthday! It’s even trending today on twitter, at least in the LA region. According to Wikipedia, his birth date is unknown but he was baptized on April 26, 1564 and other sources claim his birthday is this date; oddly, he died on April 23 also, in 1616.
So today is as good a day as any to say:
Happy Birthday, Will! And thank you for all your good words and works!
May we all find a few moments this Earth Month and National Poetry Month to find the tongues in trees, to listen to the books in brooks, to hear the sermons in stones, and to know the good in everything.
We may not be Shakespeare but we can all be inspired by what the Earth has to say to us.
So get out into nature and go for walk! Bring a book, a collection of Will’s sonnets, or even a play! Bring a notebook and try some writing practice, see what the earth has to say to you…
art predator 