Will knew persona violates the soul,
If from the wearer his own flaws it hides:
For only he who owns his shadow’s whole,
And he alone who’s whole the truth provides.
Thus, while an actor Will for good remained,
As poet-playwright he explored the heart:
This basic extravert was therefore trained,
By seeking truth, to grasp and show each part.
In short, in Arden – the imagination,
That spans the conscious and unconscious spheres;
The fertile womb of individuation –
He found himself and overcame his fears.
This man who featured all the world on stage
Indeed is for all time, not of an age.
Jerusalem
12 March 2005