Hamlet's Fourth Soliloquy: Ophelia Is Overheard In A Weaker, Darker Moment, And No Doubt Remains Poem by Dennis Ryan

Sunday night, January 11,2015 at 8: 04 p.m.

"se amable con ella /be kind to her."
- one definition of "con" in a Spanish and English dictionary

What's that I hear from the top steps of the great hall?
Fennel, daisies, columbines? You name each flower
in turn, then our names?Wait, a chance moment, pray,
I hear something more in the silence, your attention
turned to me.Let my dogs listen closer... What is it?
You dare not hear me, speak to me?You must protect
yourself at all costs? No words? My reckless acts,
words?Less you lose all favor with king and queen?
So this is what I mean to you?But wait, there's more—
you disliked my play, " The Mousetrap", because it
"hits the mark"—king's brother secretly killing king?
What else then might I have drafted that you would
have disapproved?The story of an old crab who mouths
platitudes to his son and daughter? Fie, fie on it, I say!
Can you look yourself in a cold mirror? That afraid of me,
your lover, soon to make you queen!What!Speaks you
again? !If anything, you must be kind?Calculating?
Once precious, me?All you need do is lie to yourself?
Must I listen to more of this? !This last... Silence.
You con me with silence?Con silencio?In Italian?
Spanish? One woman two.What to do?Both play
me for a fool.Frailty, thy name is woman!If you
took but one turn to dwell upon thy acts, how then
can you betray me?To do nothing ‘twere to do
me justice—so I feel now.But you chose, deceit,
silence, and so unravels discourse and play.
Betray me well then. I am not for nothing.
I will be kind.Show you favor.As ever.