Here it is Jen, just like I promised – I hope it doesn’t make Shakespeare roll in his grave. 😉
To scratch, or not to scratch, that is the question:
Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The itch and burn of abusive mosquito bites
Or to take arms against a sea of irritation
And by opposing end them:
To scratch, to rub, no more;
And by a rub to say we end
The frustration and the maddening,
Relentless shocks that flesh is heir to?
‘Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished.
To scratch, to rub – to rub, perchance to slake:
Aye, there’s the bub,
For in that rub of satiation
What doubts may come
When we have abandoned
This self-restraint must give us pause.
There’s the inanity that creates confusion
Of such simplicity:
For who would bear the jolts and pangs of bites,
The insatiable lust,
The sleepless nights,
The pangs of irate skin,
The obsessive thoughts,
The insolence of the unbitten,
And the spurns that impatient scratchers
By the self-righteous take,
When he himself might his liberation make
With a sole finger?
Who would itchiness bear,
To shake and tremble
Under a tortured skin,
But that the dread of something
After the scratch,
The possibility of greater itch to come,
From whose scratch no human can deny,
Puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear the itch we have
Than scratch to others that we know not of?
Spinning with Shakespeare – a poem and your next Wednesday Writing Prompt
FYI: I have experience with unbearable itchiness due to an autoimmune disorder, and boy did it feel good to scratch! But scratching never got rid of the itch. That’s why I loathe mosquito bites like a cat loathes a bath. Not to mention itchy clothes. Gah!
Reowr 
😂🤣😂 I’m sorry I started laughing half way through…This is good! Go for it! ❤🌼😊
I try to restrain myself, but it feels soooo good. The relief, however, is temporary.
I’m sorry. I’m not making fun of it, must be horrible at times 😦
Lol no, no, that’s fine, it is funny. My hubby makes fun of me all the time. 😜🌸
Guess you need a scratching post! 😹🙀
LOL oh no you didn’t! 😂
Huh? Moi? What did moi do?
Vous savez bien ☕
Actually no
Okay, now I’m confused 🤔
Me too
Lol
So are you going to submit?
I left a comment and link on her blog. That’s all I have to do, right?
Yep 🙂 WTG!
Phew! You are very thorough in your followup. 😜
😏 Only if I care 🙂🌹
😊🌸💜
I feel your itch. 😂 just the thought of mosquitoes is making me scratch.
The night scratches when you’re sleeping are the worst…especially if you have a mosquito bite on your foot…
On the bottom of your foot is the absolute worst
For sure!
Thou doth well sir.
Yes, Shakespeare doth very well. I am merely riding his coattails for this one.
I must apologize for taking this so lightly. There is a lot of depth in this piece. You’re a wise cat Cubby. 🌼
It was meant to be taken lightly, so please, no apology. 😊🌸💜
🙂👍❤
Very fun.
Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
To scratch the spot of need, at times one must leave . . .the room.
LOL yes, very true 😉😂
Blue ribbon super!! I am confident Will is in a state of delight!
If you mean in a state of horrified delight, then yes, I’m sure he is in a state of horrified delight! 😉
no no
not at all
I thoroughly enjoyed it!! I’m pretty sure The Bard has a grand sense of humor.
I’ve heard he only looked so serious because his knickers were too tight.
LOL
This made me uncomfortable, which is a testament to your writing ability. I’m itchy all over.
I find eating chocolate helps, for no other reason than it makes me happy. 🙂
Eating chocolate helps everything.
VERY good and VEEEERY clever xxx
Lol as long as it’s not veery offensive (to Shakespeare), I am happy! 😀
Well you know, they say that Shakespeare may not have actually existed and that he was an amalgam of many other writers at the time, especially Christopher Marlowe. ..so really. ..you’re probably not offending anyone or maybe you’re offending loads of long departed bards?!
That probably didn’t help at all! !
Regardless. ..It was so good xxx
Lol thank you! I rather like the idea of offending loads of long-departed bards… 😉
Sorry for your annoying condition, but I really enjoyed your write. This is probably not a challenge I could do because I never enjoyed the stilted, baroque language of Shakespeare. Kudos to you for being able to do it!
I’m sure you could if you wanted to, at least as a parody hehe. I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
😂😂😂now this one is awe-freakin-some! I love love love it, Cubby! It scratched my itch to read a wonderful poetry piece for sure! 🌸❤️🙂
Shakespeare has long coattails for me to ride on. 😉
thee has’t done a v’ry valorous job and the poet wouldst beest hon’r’d
Lol thou wouldst speaketh thus?
As someone with eczema, I can relate! Resisting the temptation to scratch definitely rises to the level of a Shakespearean drama. Well done!
Lol only those who have experienced the itch would truly understand! 🙂
WOW, Brilliant poetry! And I was even more interested to read about “itchy-ness”, as I’ve no clear why I suffer…and I hate Dr visits, so… But my skin (arms & legs) is very unattractive with all the red scratches, and I don’t have a cat or other pet. Oh well! Again, your poem blew me away! I might want to try the challenge next time 🙂
Yeah, I hate itchiness. And doctor visits too. Necessary to go sometimes though. Hope your itchiness doesn’t drive you too crazy. Don’t write going to the doctor off altogether.
Well, I have to see him in a couple months anyway…so maybe I’ll mention it. The cortisone cream doesn’t help at all, sheesh! 🙂
Sounds like trial and error…the caveman method.
Yep, and “aarrgghh” 🙂
That really is some good writing here and I completely love Shakespeare!
I’m glad you thought so! But the credit mostly goes to Shakespeare. 😉
Amazing! Shakespeare would be proud!
Haha well, I don’t know about that, but I appreciate your sentiments! 🙂
Clever! Ha… Fun too! Awesome!
I do love a good scratch. 😉
Charlee: “I vote scratch.”
Chaplin: “Me too.”
Always! 😀
I totally feel your pain!! My mosquito bites have left me with some unsightly scars!
And it’s so annoying when people say, “Just don’t scratch!” 😅
It’s near possible!
Brilliant! Shakespeare would be impressed I think❤️