To Mask Or Not to Mask, That is the Question

I hope the Bard forgives me for mangling his lovely soliloquy. My wish is this has been written with the same gravitas as did Will when he conveyed his famous words.

A poem adapted from William Shakespeare’s famous soliloquy spoken by Hamlet.

By Marie Staight

To Mask Or Not to Mask

To Mask Or Not to Mask –

This is the question. ‘Tis nobler in the mind

To decry and protest our lack of freedom and choice,

Thus spreading this variant to the world.

And by opposing masks – end the lives of the young and weak?

Or nobler still to protect yourself and others

By wearing masks to end

This scourge upon humanity?

Thus to suffer the slings and arrows

Of the outrageous mobs.

For when we take upon ourselves

The burden of others’ freedom and choice

Are we not limiting our time on earth too?

In death, will we not hear the cries of those we denied

A chance to live longer and fuller lives?

It is a conundrum as to whether we will mask

And take the steps to safeguard

Our loved ones and the unknown too

To mask, to vaccinate, to live, or die.

These burdens must we all bear.