Shakespeare’s Last Drink ‘Shakespear, Drayton and Ben Jhonson had a merry meeting and, itt seems, drank too hard, for Shakespear died of a feavour there contracted.’ (The Diary of John Ward, Vicar of Stratford 1648-79)
1 It was one of those misty April nights as if the whole sky were waiting, the hedgerow was heavy with bullace and coltsfoot; in The Bell at Welford, Drayton sipped a glass of Rheinish wine, Jonson was already at the pints; they talked of posterity, the price of folios; anticipated Shakespeare, ‘He’ll be here in a minute.’
But when he came, a change was marked; that day, in a strange silence, he had visited the grave of his son, had recalled the lines of Constance, I have heard you say that we shall see and know our friends in heaven, if that be true I shall see my boy again ‌ Returning home after a little shopping, he tidied up his part of the house, and went out for the last time. 2 That night his friends were veritable halls of mirth, the landlord took some good London teasing and Shakespeare, drinking little at first, gradually imbibed the spirit of the company;
About the Author Shaun Traynor is a Northern Irish poet who lives in London. He has published two major collections of poetry and several children’s novels. He is also editor of The Poolbeg Book of Irish Poetry for Children. He is a member of the Society of Authors, The Children’s Writers and Illustrators Group at the Society of Authors and The Educational Writers Group. Shakespeare’s Last Drink first published in The London Magazine 2003 This pamphlet first edition published 23rd April 2009 © Shaun Traynor
Enquiries and comment about this poem welcome at shaun.traynor@googlemail.com