King (on) holiday in Elsinore

VOGUE copyright Conde Nast

© 2019 h2omeloncholy@blogspot.com

© 2019 KM Fikes

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from KM Fikes is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to KM Fikes & h2omeloncholy@blogspot.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.  No excerpt or link may be used for monetary compensation.

Upon Their Respective Eves of Deaths

MLK & Hamlet:

In Conversation

(Verbatim)

MLK 'holiday', 2017,

KM Fikes' 'Notice' of Parallels

   with original musing, 2002

https://h2omeloncholy.blogspot.com/2013/06/h2omeloncholy.html

3 April 1968, 

Memphis, Tennessee

Sanitation Worker's Strike Speech - Mason Temple

   4 April 1968,

MLK Assassination

1599 -1603, 

William Shakespeare's HAMLET - Act V, Scene 2: 

lines 3844 - 3860

"...the rest is silence." [DIES] - line 4020

MLK 

And then I got into Memphis. 

And some began to say the threats...

HORATIO

                 You will lose this wager, my lord.

MLK    

...or talk about the threats that were out. 

HAMLET

    I do not think so...But it is no matter.

HORATIO

               If your mind dislike any thing, obey it: 

MLK    

What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers?

HORATIO

                I will forestall their repair hither, and say you are not fit.

MLK

Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead.       

But it really doesn't matter with me now, 

HAMLET

                       Not a whit,

MLK

...because I've been to the mountaintop.
And I don't mind.
Like anybody, I would like to live a long life.

HAMLET

                      ...we defy augury: 

MLK

Longevity has its place. But... 

HAMLET

                there's a special
                   providence in the fall of a sparrow. 

MLK

...I'm not concerned about that now. 

HAMLET        

                 If it be now, 'tis not to come; 

MLK

I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain.

HAMLET

              ...if it be not to come, it will be now;

MLK

And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land.

HAMLET

             ...if it be not now, yet it will come:

MLK

I may not get there with you. 

But I want you to know tonight that...

HAMLET

              ...the readiness is all:

MLK

...we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land!

And so I'm happy, tonight.

HAMLET 

             ...since no man has aught of what he
                  leaves,

MLK

I'm not worried about anything.

HAMLET

             ...what is't to leave betimes?

MLK

I'm not fearing any man!

HAMLET

              Let  be.

ENTER King Claudius, Queen Gertrude, Laertes, Osric,

and Lords, with other Attendants with foils and gauntlets.

A table and flagons of wine on it...

(*reimagining*) TO

...rapturous Memphis call n' response applause

MLK

Mine eyes have seen [shouts heard within] the glory [crowd erupts]...

F I N I S .

a clever as compassionate critique 
on the implausibility 
of POSTness

Til our next 'post', feast upon produce in season...

© 2019 KM Fikes 

© 2019 h2omeloncholy@blogspot.com 

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from KM Fikes is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to KM Fikes & h2omeloncholy@blogspot.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.  No excerpt or link may be used for monetary compensation.