For those who aren't obsessive Shakespeare fans, this is a parody of Richard III, Act I, scene I. It was done for memory, and I did not use ChatGPT or reference material. But just love this play, and cautionary tales about hubris, so much, so I wrote this little parody poetry about Clarence Thomas's recent difficulties. I hope you enjoy it!
Now is the summer of our discontent!
Made glorious sport of this Prince of the court…
And all the allegations that have lour’d upon his vacation, in the deep bosom of the news cycle, buried.
Now, are his case files burgeoning with majority opinions.
His strident dissents, turned to 5-4 decisions!
Presidential appointments hath emboldened his conservative peers.
But Justice Thomas, who was not invited to the court from a family, wealthy—
He was sent into conservative jurisprudence scarce half enriched!—
And, although Virginia Thomas was willing to introduce a black guy to her rents,
He was never the kind of Catholic that was going to be anything other than and edgy choice for Ginny.
Since he cannot prove a Chief, of the court, to pen bold decisions
And in oral arguments, his tongue is not Sharp like that of Scalia, nor sassy, like that of Kagan,
He defines the ideology and yet brings none of the flair!
Since he is not an exciting jurist to entertain these conservative majority days, he is determined to prove an embarrassment and hate the idle inquiries of these days.
Payments he made, through intermediaries close, that set the media, and his personal finances, in deadly hate, one investigation after the other.
And if Clarence be as influenceable as his peers are wealthy, then this day shall his ethics closely be called out, about a series of inquiries, that all edge that Clarence of the house of Thomas? The inappropriate lack of disclosures of a sitting Supreme Court Justice will nail him.
—Owen Muir, M.D.