Day 70 - Sonnet #145: dark lady, hate, love, insecurity, mistress

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a special thank you to Link for his cameo...

for more info on 145 - check out the Wikipedia page




Fun visual example




This isn't strictly by the text, but I LOVE how much energy they put into the interpretation - way to make it clear!



Those lips that Love's own hand did make,
Breathed forth the sound that said 'I hate',
To me that languished for her sake:
But when she saw my woeful state,
Straight in her heart did mercy come,
Chiding that tongue that ever sweet,
Was used in giving gentle doom:
And taught it thus anew to greet:
'I hate' she altered with an end,
That followed it as gentle day,
Doth follow night who like a fiend
From heaven to hell is flown away.
'I hate', from hate away she threw,
And saved my life saying 'not you'.

As always - feedback, comments and creativity are welcome!

Day 69 - Sonnet #66: corruption, death, abandon, regret, dishonesty

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Tired with all these for restful death I cry,
As to behold desert a beggar born,
And needy nothing trimmed 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 disabled
And art made tongue-tied by authority,
And folly (doctor-like) controlling skill,
And simple truth miscalled simplicity,
And captive good attending captain ill.
Tired with all these, from these would I be gone,
Save that to die, I leave my love alone.

As always - feedback, comments and creativity are welcome!

Day 68 - Sonnet #21: muse, truth, comparison, verses, beauty

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fyi - rondure = roundness, sphericity



So is it not with me as with that muse,
Stirred by a painted beauty to his verse,
Who heaven it self for ornament doth use,
And every fair with his fair doth rehearse,
Making a couplement of proud compare
With sun and moon, with earth and sea's rich gems:
With April's first-born flowers and all things rare,
That heaven's air in this huge rondure hems.
O let me true in love but truly write,
And then believe me, my love is as fair,
As any mother's child, though not so bright
As those gold candles fixed in heaven's air:
Let them say more that like of hearsay well,
I will not praise that purpose not to sell.

As always - feedback, comments and creativity are welcome!

May Sonnet Schedule

Here's the schedule for the month of May - and do I remember correctly that April showers bring May sonnets? Either way, let's get out sonnets ON!

Week of May 2nd: 21

Week of May 9th: 66

Week of May 16th: 145

Week of May 23rd: 59

Week of May 30th: 84

As always - feedback, comments and creativity are welcome!

Day 67 - Sonnet #138: dark lady, truth, insecurity, age, love

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some cool videos today - including footage of the RSC (Trevor Nunn & David Suchet) working on this sonnet!

AND - happy birthday to William Shakespeare! see how lots of other bloggers are celebrating at www.happybirthdayshakespeare.com, and follow the party on Twitter via the tag #HBWS.






from the vook "Shakespeare in the City"...





cool project for an English class...





Musical version...




Trevor Nunn & David Suchet working on sonnet 138...



When my love swears that she is made of truth,
I do believe her, though I know she lies,
That she might think me some untutored youth,
Unlearned in the world's false subtleties.
Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young,
Although she knows my days are past the best,
Simply I credit her false-speaking tongue,
On both sides thus is simple truth suppressed:
But wherefore says she not she is unjust?
And wherefore say not I that I am old?
O love's best habit is in seeming trust,
And age in love, loves not to have years told.
Therefore I lie with her, and she with me,
And in our faults by lies we flattered be.

As always - feedback, comments and creativity are welcome!

Day 66 - Sonnet #62: jealousy, guilt, sin, self-love, defence

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Mike Ackerman with another sonnet!



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,
It is so grounded inward in my heart.
Methinks no face so gracious is as mine,
No shape so true, no truth of such account,
And for my self mine own worth do define,
As I all other in all worths surmount.
But when my glass shows me my self indeed
beated and chopt with tanned antiquity,
Mine own self-love quite contrary I read:
Self, so self-loving were iniquity.
'Tis thee (my self) that for my self I praise,
Painting my age with beauty of thy days.

As always - feedback, comments and creativity are welcome!

Day 65 - Sonnet #85: muse, modesty, praise, rival, superficial

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My tongue-tied muse in manners holds her still,
While comments of your praise richly compiled,
Reserve thy character with golden quill,
And precious phrase by all the Muses filed.
I think good thoughts, whilst others write good words,
And like unlettered clerk still cry Amen,
To every hymn that able spirit affords,
In polished form of well refined pen.
Hearing you praised, I say 'tis so, 'tis true,
And to the most of praise add something more,
But that is in my thought, whose love to you
(Though words come hindmost) holds his rank before,
Then others, for the breath of words respect,
Me for my dumb thoughts, speaking in effect.

As always - feedback, comments and creativity are welcome!