Shakespeare's Sonnets: Lo in the orient when the gracious light

Shakespeare's Sonnets: Lo in the orient when the gracious light

Sonnet 7

Original Text
SHAKE-SPEARES SONNETS (London: G. Eld for T. T. and sold by William Aspley, 1609): b2r-b2v.
1Lo in the orient when the gracious light
2Lifts up his burning head, each under-eye
3Doth homage to his new-appearing sight,
4Serving with looks his sacred majesty,
5And having climb'd the steep-up heav'nly hill,
6Resembling strong youth in his middle age,
7Yet mortal looks adore his beauty still,
8Attending on his golden pilgrimage:
9But when from high-most pitch with weary car,
10Like feeble age he reeleth from the day,
11The eyes (fore-dut'ous) now converted are
12From his low tract and look an other way:
13    So thou, thy self out-going in thy noon,
14    Unlook'd on die'st unless thou get a son.

Notes

1] orient] east (a disyllabic word). gracious light] the sun. Back to Line
2] under-eye] a novel lexical compound; human eyes are beneath the sun. Back to Line
5] having climb'd] this phrase modifies "the gracious light". heav'nly] heavenly Q. Back to Line
9] high-most pitch] zenith. car] chariot, possibly punning on "care." Back to Line
11] fore-dut'ous] dutiful before or earlier (when the sun was high). dut'ous] duteous Q. converted] turned. Back to Line
12] tract] path. Back to Line
14] die'st] diest Q. get] beget. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1609
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
2008
Rhyme
ababcdcdefefgg
Form
sonnet