T.S. Elliot once wrote, “April is the cruelest month,” but William Shakespeare certainly didn’t agree with that.

Did you know that April is actually one of the most common months to be found in the writings of Shakespeare?

While most “bardolaters,” or those who adore Shakespeare and his writings, wish him a happy birthday on April 23rd each year, his exact date of birth is actually unknown. Records do show that he was baptized on April 26, 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, and it was customary at the time to baptize infants three days after birth. Ironically, records also show that he died on April 23, 1616, at the age of 52.

Shakespeare frequently wrote about the month of April and springtime in England. In his writings, spring is often used as a metaphor for youth, love, renewal, and beauty.

In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act 1, Scene 1, Shakespeare describes April as the time when “wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear.” This is common in his other sonnets as well, as he often references April as the beginning of spring and the renewal of nature.

April is often regarded as a month of renewal, growth, and new beginnings. Shakespeare himself once said, “April, dressed in all his trim, hath put a spirit of youth in everything.” This month, think of the Bard of Avon as you walk around enjoying the budding green and the blooming flowers, and consider how you might be inspired to write on the beauty this season brings.