RPO -- William Shakespeare : Shakespeare's Sonnets: When I consider every thing that grows

William Shakespeare (ca. 1564-1616)

Shakespeare's Sonnets: When I consider every thing that grows
Sonnet 15

1When I consider every thing that grows

2Holds in perfection but a little moment,

3That this huge stage presenteth nought but shows

4Whereon the stars in secret influence comment;

5When I perceive that men as plants increase,

6Cheered and check't even by the self-same sky,

7Vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease,

8And wear their brave state out of memory.

9Then the conceit of this inconstant stay

10Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,

11Where wasteful time debateth with decay

12To change your day of youth to sullied night,

13 And all in war with time for love of you

14 As he takes from you, I ingraft you new.

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Notes

2] This line, and line 4, are extrametrical.

9] conceit] concept, idea.

11] Time cuts life short, and decay draws it out, but both have the same effect: to end the beloved's youth.

14] ingraft] Shakespeare appears to mean "engraff," a term for we call "to insert (a scion of one tree) as a graft into or upon (another)" (OED 1). The spelling "ingraft" is first found figuratively about 1585.

Online text copyright © 2012, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.

Original text: SHAKE-SPEARES SONNETS (London: G. Eld for T. T. and sold by William Aspley, 1609): b4r.
First publication date: 1609
RPO poem editor: Ian Lancashire
RP edition: 2008
Recent editing: 1:2008/8/21

Form: sonnet
Rhyme: ababcdcdefefgg

Other poems by William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (ca. 1564-1616)

Shakespeare's Sonnets: When I consider every thing that grows Sonnet 15

Shakespeare's Sonnets: When I consider every thing that grows
Sonnet 15