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Roses by Any Other Name

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For The Bard's Birthday Poetry Contest sponsored by Oliver Mckeithan

"What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." William Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2) Shakespeare said a rose is still a rose by any other name. I think what he was saying was, it's pretty much the same; but wouldn't it be confusing to describe your flower bed, if you called your beautiful roses something else instead? If you were planting roses, in late Fall or early Spring, and you chose to call them Frankie Boy, or if you called them Bing, or if you called them Jackson, Jiminy or Joan of Arc, then they would still be roses, our Shakespeare would remark.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2025




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Date: 4/28/2025 3:02:00 PM
Congrats David on your placement in my contest. I like the theme of your poem and the way it ends
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Date: 1/8/2025 10:48:00 AM
Oh so very clever Dave! :)
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David Crandall
Date: 1/8/2025 10:58:00 AM
Thanks, elle! This is something new to me, interpreting Shakespeare - lol.
Date: 1/7/2025 8:33:00 PM
Come on now who doesnt give their roses names? LOL loved this!
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David Crandall
Date: 1/8/2025 9:59:00 AM
Glad you liked it Arthur! Hmm, I guess, that's right, if you really love your roses, you should them each there own name - lol.

Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry