Why is Shakespeare Known as The Bard

Why is Shakespeare known as The Bard is explained below in me poem but first know this.

23rd April is the birth date and death date of English poet and playwright William Shakespeare.
So, the most famous (possibly) Englishman was born and died on St Georges Day, the Patron Saint of England

"Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them” from Twelfth Night by Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was born and died
On the very same day
Well, he didn’t last very long
I hear some of you say

If he really was born and died
On the very same day
He couldn’t have managed a sonnet
Never mind a 3 act play

Fortunately for us (but not for schoolchildren)
There was 52 years in between
The first 23rd April was in 1564
And the second in 1616

Most of his work was produced
In a 23 year frame of time
Nearly 40 plays and 150 odd sonnets
And poems that don’t even rhyme

Why is Shakespeare known as the Bard?
That's not a title he earns
For that title belongs to The Bard
Scotland's Robert Burns

Shakespeare is The Bard of Avon
That's the river in his town of birth
Bard just means poet
It's Welsh, for what it's worth

Jon Bratton 2009

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Why is Shakespeare known as the Bard or is it Rabbie Burns

This'Why is Shakespeare known as the Bard' blog entry is copyright of Jon Bratton 2009