'The Phoenix and the Turtle' is an allegorical poem about the death of ideal love by William Shakespeare. It is widely considered to be one of his most obscure works and has led to many conflicting interpretations. The poem describes a funeral arranged for the deceased Phoenix and Turtledove, respectively emblems of perfection and of devoted love. Some birds are invited, but others excluded. It goes on to state that the love of the birds created a perfect unity which transcended all logic and material fact. It concludes with a prayer for the dead lovers.

But thy eternal summer shall not fade Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st; Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st: So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. -- from Sonnet 18 No home should be without this: every play, from the early histories to the sad, wise Winter's Tale and The Tempest; every exquisitely crafted sonnet; every long poem (such as Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece) written by the greatest writer in the English language. This edition of the Bard of Avon's complete works is a facsimile of the definitive Shakespeare Head edition published originally in Oxford, England. All the plays are arranged in chronological order of their composition, rather than by genre, so that the evolution of Shakespeare's monumental genius can be more easily followed and appreciated.