A couple(t) more sonnets!

I had a bit of time while my girls were doing gymnastics and while banished from a birthday party for a while (so I retreated to nearby Dunelm Mill, where I wanted to look at curtains anyway, and sat in the café for a while).  Here are the results of my labours (which didn't come as easily as the first two).

The Merchant of Venice

Antonio our hero’s purse is slim

To Shylock for a loan, he goes one day
As surety the man demands from him
A pound of flesh if he cannot repay
The money’s for his friend Bassanio
To woo fair Portia, but his chance is poor
The lady is as wise as him, and so
They pledge to be together evermore
Oh no!  Our Tony’s ships do not return
At trial bad Shylock he no mercy gives
But flesh sans blood cannot be done we learn
Thank Portia, dressed as lawyer.  Tony lives!
It’s now revealed the usurer’s plot so black
Was criminal, he flees and won’t come back

The Taming of the Shrew

Baptista had two daughters, both were fair

The younger called Bianca, soft and mild
Had many suitors try to win her stare
But none like jealous Kate with temper wild
The father he refused to give B’s hand
Before the older daughter first was took
From wooing B the lovers all were banned
So dressed as tutors went with lute and book
Petruchio came “I’ll take Kate on” he said
But she met him with curse and jeer and frown
Wrong-footed Kate so well she ended wed
Persistent cruelty wore poor Kate right down.
So if your girl’s not tame and mild and meek
Be mean and cruel, you’ll sort her in a week!