Sonnet · Fair Youth Sonnets

Sonnet 100

Where art thou Muse that thou forget’st so long,

To speak of that which gives thee all thy might?

Spend’st thou thy fury on some worthless song,

Darkening thy power to lend base subjects light?

Return forgetful Muse, and straight redeem,

In gentle numbers time so idly spent;

Sing to the ear that doth thy lays esteem

And gives thy pen both skill and argument.

Rise, resty Muse, my love’s sweet face survey,

If Time have any wrinkle graven there;

If any, be a satire to decay,

And make time’s spoils despised every where.

Give my love fame faster than Time wastes life,

So thou prevent’st his scythe and crooked knife.

What it's about

The speaker scolds his Muse for writing about unworthy subjects and neglecting the fair youth. He demands the Muse return and do what it does best: immortalise the young man's beauty through verse, making fame outlast time itself. It's a poem about recommitment and the power of poetry to defy mortality.

In plain English

Where have you been, Muse? You've neglected your real job — writing about the one person who makes you powerful. Why waste your talent on trivial subjects instead of celebrating him? Come back and make up for lost time with your best work.

Look at his face and see if age has touched it. If wrinkles have appeared, turn that into a weapon against decay itself — make time's damage something everyone despises. Give him fame that grows faster than time steals his youth.

Do this, and you'll defeat time's blade. Your poetry becomes stronger than death.

Lines that stick

Where art thou Muse that thou forget'st so long,
Give my love fame faster than Time wastes life,
So thou prevent'st his scythe and crooked knife.

Themes

poetry
time
beauty
immortality
youth

Sonnet 100

What it's about

In plain English

Lines that stick

Themes

Tap any word to see it explained.