Shakespeare's Sonnets: From fairest creatures we desire increase

Shakespeare's Sonnets: From fairest creatures we desire increase

1From fairest creatures we desire increase
2That thereby beauty's rose might never die,
3But as the riper should by time decease,
4His tender heir might bear his memory:
5But thou, contracted to thine own bright eyes,
6Feed'st thy light's flame with self-substantial fuel,
7Making a famine where abundance lies,
8Thy self thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel:
9Thou that art now the world's fresh ornament,
10And only herald to the gaudy spring,
11Within thine own bud buriest thy content,
12And tender churl, mak'st waste in niggarding:
13    Pity the world, or else this glutton be,
14    To eat the world's due, by the grave and thee.

Notes

3] riper] the older, more mature one. Back to Line
4] His] Shakespeare writes to a male. Back to Line
5] contracted] betrothed; reduced in size. Back to Line
6] self-substantial] "Derived from one's own substance" (OED; only citation). Back to Line
11] buriest] bisyllabic, elided. Back to Line
12] niggarding] hoarding. Back to Line
14] to eat what is due to the world by the grave (it gives your body) and by you (you give your life). Back to Line
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire