Green Eggs and Hamlet

Claudeggius Soliloquy, Act III, scene iii.

Claudius has been left alone by Rosencrantz, Guildenstern and Polonius in a room in the castle. And he prepares to pray...

My crime is rank
and rank my crime

That deed for rank
That deed so rank
I do not like
this awful rank

Can I pray, while on the lam
I cannot pray, so damned I am
I cannot pray while on the lam

Would that this poor knee be bent
I cannot despite my intent
I cannot be so heaven sent
I cannot pray, so damned I am
I cannot pray while on the lam

I wish I could wash off this blood
Deny the deed, like King Herod
I cannot clean these hands of blood
to wash them off would take a flood
I cannot despite my intent
I cannot be so heaven sent
I cannot pray, so damned I am
I cannot pray while on the lam

Would that my poor soul I'd save
I had not done the deed so grave

Christ forgave
Who dug his grave
But dirt and mud
Can't hide this blood
I cannot despite my intent
I cannot be so heaven sent
I cannot pray, so damned I am
I cannot pray while on the lam
Would I? Could I? Though I'm damned?
Why not? Why not? Here I am!
I cannot, while I'm on the lam

If I could pray, I'd be a king
And my queen would my praises sing

I cannot, I killed for this throne
And brother's wife did take for own
While on the lam I can't atone.
Who can forgive
This life I live
The grave's dark mud
Can't hide the blood
I cannot despite my intent
I cannot be so heaven sent
I cannot pray, so damned I am
I cannot pray while on the lam

Repent! Repent! Repent! Repent!
And then I would be heaven sent.

Not heaven, but in fact, in hell
For that is where I'm doomed to dwell
I cannot, cannot hide the deed
For tis my brother's blood I bleed
I cannot, I killed for this throne
And brother's wife did take for own
I cannot despite my intent
I cannot be so heaven sent
I cannot pray, so damned I am
I cannot pray while on the lam

But maybe still I can pretend
And force this frail knee to bend
And though the words I cannot say
I'll look at though I tried to pray.