Constance La France Poet Prose Poetry

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Prose Poetry/Richard the Third and Shakespeare/AI Free
Copyright Protected, ID 01-1796-380-27
All Rights Reserved, 2026, Constance La France
Copying any part of this work is prohibited

Written,  January 27, 2026
For the International Contest, Richard the Third Poetry 
Sponsored by: Robert James Liguori, Judged 02/25/2026

Fourth Place 

Contest theme:
Write a poem about Richard III from the William Shakespeare play.

Richard the Third and Shakespeare

 

"My conscience hath a thousand several tongues, 
And every tongue brings in a several tale, 
And every tale condemns me for a villain." 

      (Richard, Act 5 Scene 3)The Tragedy of Richard The Third, Shakespeare 

Richard the Third was an evil, tyrant, a murderer. Ugly and unloved, deformed and hateful.
Shakespeare wrote this grim play, long with words and lines, with meditations, and death, 
to infuse in us Richard the Third's villainous short rise to power . . . 

      Richard III, confesses to murdering King Henry the VI.  He ordered many others to be
murdered also or put  in the Tower of London, for extended stays ? 

      He presents himself as the true heir.  A gentle and kind man.  Pretending to be modest,
devout and humble. Anyone who protests is executed, brutally.

      He claims that two children the true heirs are illegitimate and orders that they be killed,
and so they are. With no one in his way, he claims the throne of England.

     But, his dreams are full of the ghosts of his victims. He wakes screaming to Jesus for help.
He is alone in his misery, making him even more miserable.

      He loses popularity as his ways become known.  His followers are stepping back. No longer
supporting him. It is a matter of time . . . 

      On a battle field, he is unhorsed.  Shakespeare pens his famous quote, "a horse, a horse,
my kingdom for a horse." He is killed on that battle field but by who ?  Many tales are told.

A bit of history. Richard the Third's remains were found and confirmed, in a former Greyfriars
Friary in Leicester, England in September 2012.  The bones did indicate a curve to the spine.  
Later, he was reburied with a grand funeral where anyone can visit now . . . But, did he deserve
a grand funeral ?

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Christuraj Alex February 25, 2026 at 6:55 PM "his dreams are full of the ghosts of his victims. He wakes screaming to Jesus for help." You have portrayed the goodness and weakness of King Richard III in a very powerful prose-poetry form. Congratulations! Constance La France February 27, 2026 at 2:35 AM Chris, thank you for the comment, compliment and congratulations ~

Robert James Liguori February 25, 2026 at 9:33 AM Great job!!! Please enter my next contest… The Avengers. Constance La France February 27, 2026 at 2:36 AM Robert, thank you for the contest, my placement and the compliment, appreciate ~

Linda Alice Fowler February 25, 2026 at 7:24 AM Thoughtful prose Constance., depicting Richard's miserable life. Congratulations! :) Constance La France February 27, 2026 at 2:37 AM Linda, thank you for the compliment, comment and congratulations ~

Joe Maverick January 29, 2026 at 10:37 PM There has been more evidence from Dna testing apparantly he was illigitamate.. Mind you i'm not a fan of Shakespeare either..Or of much in power all is flawed, part of life, i trust Alls well.' Constance La France January 30, 2026 at 4:38 AM Joe, thank you for the visit to my poem. There is so much that can be done with DNA, it is amazing. I don't mind Shakespeare, or many of the poets of old. And yes, so much in life is flawed but at the same time so much is beautiful ~