The Final Couplet

Shakespeare explains to his muse why he is the inspiration for all of his poetry. Our story continues with Shakespeare finally being rescued from the pirate ship... But who by? Sonnet 78 So oft have I invoked thee for my Muse, And found such fair assistance in my verse As every alien pen hath got my use And under thee their poesy disperse. Thine eyes, that taught the dumb on high to sing And heavy...

Shakespeare gives his lover a blank notebook to pop down his thoughts in. That's nice isn't it? Our story continues with Shakespeare still aboard the pirate ship. Sonnet 77 Thy glass will show thee how thy beauties wear, Thy dial how thy precious minutes waste; The vacant leaves thy mind's imprint will bear, And of this book, this learning mayst thou taste. The wrinkles which thy glass will truly...

Shakespeare finally owns up to writing about the same thing in every sonnet! Our story continues with Shakespeare aboard the pirate ship. Sonnet 76 Why is my verse so barren of new pride, So far from variation or quick change? Why with the time do I not glance aside To new-found methods, and to compounds strange? Why write I still all one, ever the same, And keep invention in a noted weed, That ev...

I don't know who gave Shakespeare relationship advice because this sonnet is all over the place! Someone help him! Our story continues with Shakespeare aboard a pirate ship. Sonnet 75 So are you to my thoughts as food to life, Or as sweet-season'd showers are to the ground; And for the peace of you I hold such strife As 'twixt a miser and his wealth is found. Now proud as an enjoyer, and anon Doub...

Shakespeare tells his lover not worry when he dies because he will always have his poetry to remember him by. Our story continues with Shakespeare getting into another dilemma on his way back to England. Sonnet 74 But be contented when that fell arrest Without all bail shall carry me away, My life hath in this line some interest, Which for memorial still with thee shall stay. When thou reviewest t...

Shakespeare continues harping on about getting old and how his young lover needs to forget him. Sonnet 73 That time of year thou mayst in me behold When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang Upon those boughs which shake against the cold, Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang. In me thou see'st the twilight of such day As after sunset fadeth in the west; Which by and by black n...

Shakespeare tried to catch me out again by making Sonnet 71 a two parter. But I was ahead of the game for once... Our story continues with a very ill Shakespeare. Sonnet 72 O! lest the world should task you to recite What merit lived in me, that you should love After my death,--dear love, forget me quite, For you in me can nothing worthy prove. Unless you would devise some virtuous lie, To do more...

Shakespeare tells his lover to stop caring about him when he's dead. Easier said than done to be honest. Sonnet 71 No longer mourn for me when I am dead Than you shall hear the surly sullen bell Give warning to the world that I am fled From this vile world with vilest worms to dwell: Nay, if you read this line, remember not The hand that writ it, for I love you so, That I in your sweet thought...

I'm back after a week off! Shakespeare is back! Sonnet 70 is all about how people are jealous of you when you are hot - we all know that feeling eh? Sonnet 70 That thou art blamed shall not be thy defect, For slander's mark was ever yet the fair; The ornament of beauty is suspect, A crow that flies in heaven's sweetest air. So thou be good, slander doth but approve Thy worth the greate...

Shakespeare talks about how someone can be sexy on the outside but be rotten on the inside. Sonnet 69 Those parts of thee that the world's eye doth view Want nothing that the thought of hearts can mend; All tongues, the voice of souls, give thee that due, Uttering bare truth, even so as foes commend. Thy outward thus with outward praise is crown'd; But those same tongues, that give thee so...

Looks like this is part 3 of Sonnet 66. Shakespeare chats about how bad cosmetics are and wants to return to the days of natural beauty. Sonnet 68 Thus is his cheek the map of days outworn, When beauty lived and died as flowers do now, Before these bastard signs of fair were born, Or durst inhabit on a living brow; Before the golden tresses of the dead, The right of sepulchres, were shorn away, To...

This one should be called Sonnet 66 part 2 but Shakespeare tricked us again. He talks of nature and the decline of beauty. Sonnet 67 Ah! wherefore with infection should he live, And with his presence grace impiety, That sin by him advantage should achieve, And lace itself with his society? Why should false painting imitate his cheek, And steal dead seeming of his living hue? Why should poor beauty...

Shakespeare talks about all the things that make him so angry he wants to die! Sonnet 66 Tired with all these, for restful death I cry, As to behold desert a beggar born, And needy nothing trimm'd in jollity, And purest faith unhappily forsworn, And gilded honour shamefully misplaced, And maiden virtue rudely strumpeted, And right perfection wrongfully disgraced, And strength by limping sway d...

Shakespeare continues his tirade about time and youth. Out story continues with Shakespeare finally making his way to Barbados! Sonnet 65 Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea, But sad mortality o'ersways their power, How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea, Whose action is no stronger than a flower? O! how shall summer's honey breath hold out, Against the wrackful siege...

Shakespeare has another interaction with Time. Time really annoys him because it makes everyone old and ugly. Sonnet 64 When I have seen by Time's fell hand defaced The rich proud cost of outworn buried age; When sometime lofty towers I see down-razed, And brass eternal slave to mortal rage; When I have seen the hungry ocean gain Advantage on the kingdom of the shore, And the firm soil win of...

Thought Shakespeare had stopped obsessing about his age? Think again! He should consider botox at this point. Sonnet 63 gainst my love shall be as I am now, With Time's injurious hand crushed and o'erworn; When hours have drained his blood and filled his brow With lines and wrinkles; when his youthful morn Hath travelled on to age's steepy night; And all those beauties whereof now he&#...

Shakespeare manages to say he's the hottest guy on earth and then humble himself all in one sonnet, what a guy! Here is the image of Shakespeare I talked about: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/mar/19/shakespeare-grave-effigy-believed-to-be-definitive-likeness Sonnet 62 Sin of self-love possesseth all mine eye And all my soul, and all my every part; And for this sin there is no remedy,...

I really like this one. Shakespeare takes us on a real journey through his jealousy. Our story continues with Christopher Marlowe in Barbados, is he stringing Shakespeare along? Sonnet 61 Is it thy will, thy image should keep open My heavy eyelids to the weary night? Dost thou desire my slumbers should be broken, While shadows like to thee do mock my sight? Is it thy spirit that thou send'st f...

Shakespeare gives us his take on ageing and it is pretty bleak to be honest. ---------------------- Sonnet 60 Like as the waves make towards the pebbl'd shore, So do our minutes hasten to their end; Each changing place with that which goes before, In sequent toil all forwards do contend. Nativity, once in the main of light, Crawls to maturity, wherewith being crown'd, Crooked eclipses &#39...

Shakespeare talks about how bloody hard it is to come up with new material. If even Shakespeare was struggling to be original what hope do the rest of us have, eh? ------------------------ Sonnet 59 If there be nothing new, but that which is Hath been before, how are our brains beguil'd, Which, labouring for invention, bear amiss The second burthen of a former child! O, that record could with...

Shakespeare continues to talk about what a great slave he would be to his young lover. Meanwhile, our story continues with Shakespeare's new found love. --------------------- Sonnet 58 That god forbid, that made me first your slave, I should in thought control your times of pleasure, Or at your hand the account of hours to crave, Being your vassal, bound to stay your leisure! O! let me suffer,...

Shakespeare is happy to forgive his lover having an affair in this sonnet. Fair play to him. -------------------------- Sonnet 57 Being your slave, what should I do but tend Upon the hours and times of your desire? I have no precious time at all to spend, Nor services to do, till you require. Nor dare I chide the world-without-end hour Whilst I, my sovereign, watch the clock for you. Nor think the...

Sonnet 56 confused the hell out of me but I grabbed it by the lapels and dragged it into the modern age eventually. A new literary character joins our never ending story. Sonnet 56 Sweet love, renew thy force; be it not said Thy edge should blunter be than appetite, Which but to-day by feeding is allay’d, To-morrow sharpened in his former might: So, love, be thou, although to-day thou fill Thy hun...

Shakespeare is back to his old self with this one - calling his poems amazing and using vulgar words. Sonnet 55 Not marble nor the gilded monuments Of princes shall outlive this powerful rhyme, But you shall shine more bright in these contents Than unswept stone besmeared with sluttish time. When wasteful war shall statues overturn, And broils root out the work of masonry, Nor Mars his sword nor w...

Coming into your ears with another Sonnet. Shakespeare has found his swagger again and is bigging up his own writing again in Sonnet 54. Sonnet 54 O how much more doth beauty beauteous seem, By that sweet ornament which truth doth give! The rose looks fair, but fairer we it deem For that sweet odour which doth in it live. The canker-blooms have full as deep a dye As the perfumed tincture of the ro...