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THESONNET CONTENTS1:TheRenaissance&EarlyModernSonnetPetrarch(FrancescoPetrarca,1304-1374)~‘Amor,chenelpensermio’SirThomasWyatt(1503-1542)~‘The long love that in my thought doth harbor’ HenryHoward,EarlofSurrey(c.1516-1547)~‘Love, that doth reign and live’ Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542)~ ‘Whoso List to Hunt’ PhilipSidney(1554-1586)~Sonnet1EdmundSpenser(1553-1599)~Sonnet75WilliamShakespeare(1564-1616)~Sonnets94,135JohnDonne(1572-1631)~HolySonnet14GeorgeHerbert(1593-1633)~‘Redemption’JohnMilton(1608-1674)~Sonnet19(OnHisBlindness)2:TheRomantic&Nineteenth-CenturySonnetWilliamWordsworth(1770-1850)~‘ComposeduponWestminsterBridge’PercyByssheShelley(1792-1822)~‘Ozymandias’JohnKeats(1795-1821)~‘OnSittingDowntoReadKingLearOnceAgain’ChristinaRossetti(1830-1894)~‘IWishICouldRememberThatFirstDay’GerardManleyHopkins(1844-1889)~‘PiedBeauty’,‘TheWindhover’3:TheModernSonnetW.B.Yeats(1865-1939)~‘LedaandtheSwan’RupertBrooke(1887-1915)~‘Love’W.H.Auden(1907-1973)~Sonnet154:TheContemporarySonnetSarahHowe(1983-)~‘Relativity’EmilyCritchley(1980-)~‘AFinalSonnet’SophieRobinson(1985-)~‘nsfw’NOTE:Thislistmayseemdauntingbutthesonnetisasmallthing(evenasitcontainsmultitudes).Manyofthesonnetsherearefamous;someofthemyoumayalreadyknow.Pleasereadallofthem.Itisonlybyreadingsonnetuponsonnetthatoneachievesatruesenseoftheform.Markuptheonesyoulikebestandreadthemagain!

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FrancescoPetrarca(Petrarch)~‘Amor,chenelpensermio’(Canzoniere,140)

Amor, che nel penser mio vive et regna e 'l suo seggio maggior nel mio cor tene, talor armato ne la fronte vene; ivi si loca et ivi pon sua insegna. Quella ch'amare e sofferir ne 'nsegna, e vol che'l gran desio, l'accesa spene, ragion, vergogna, e reverenza affrene, di nostro ardir fra se stessa si sdegna. Onde Amor paventoso fugge al core, lasciando ogni sua impresa, et piange et trema; ivi s'asconde et non appar piu fore. Che poss'io far, temendo il mio signore, se non star seco infin a l'ora estrema? che bel fin fa chi ben amando more.

Love, who lives and rules in my thought and holds his chief seat in my heart, sometimes armed comes into my face; and there makes camp and places his banner. She who teaches me to love and suffer, and wants reason, shame, and respect restrain my great desire and burning hope takes offense inwardly at our ardor. Therefore Love, fearful, flees to the heart, abandoning it all, and cries and shakes; he hides himself, and is seen abroad no more. What can I do, when my master is afraid, except stand with him to the bitter end? He makes a fine end, who dies loving well.

The long love that in my thought doth harbor,

And in mine heart doth keep his residence,

Into my face presseth with bold pretense

And therein campeth, spreading his banner.

She that me learneth to love and suffer

And will that my trust and lust’s negligence

Be reined by reason, shame, and reverence

With his hardiness taketh displeasure.

Wherewithal unto the heart’s forest he fleeth,

Leaving his enterprise with pain and cry,

And there him hideth, and not appeareth.

What may I do, when my master feareth,

But in the field with him to live and die?

For good is the life ending faithfully.

Sir Thomas Wyatt

Love, that doth reign and live within my thought,

And built his seat within my captive breast,

Clad in the arms wherein with me he fought,

Oft in my face he doth his banner rest.

But she that taught me love and suffer pain,

My doubtful hope and eke my hot desire

With shamefast look to shadow and refrain,

Her smiling grace converteth straight to ire.

And coward Love, then, to the heart apace

Taketh his flight, where he doth lurk and plain,

His purpose lost, and dare not show his face.

For my lord's guilt thus faultless bide I pain,

Yet from my lord shall not my foot remove:

Sweet is the death that taketh end by love.

Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey

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SirThomasWyatt,‘Whosolisttohunt’(c.1535)

Whosolisttohunt,Iknowwhereisanhind, |Whosolist=Whoeverwants

Butasforme,hélas,Imaynomore.

Thevaintravailhathweariedmesosore, |vaintravail=fruitlesslabour

Iamofthemthatfarthestcomethbehind. 4

YetmayIbynomeansmyweariedmind

Drawfromthedeer,butasshefleethafore

FaintingIfollow.Ileaveofftherefore,

SithensinanetIseektoholdthewind. 8

Wholistherhunt,Iputhimoutofdoubt,

AswellasImayspendhistimeinvain.

Andgravenwithdiamondsinlettersplain

Thereiswritten,herfairneckroundabout: 12

Nolimetangere,1forCaesar'sIam,

Andwildfortohold,thoughIseemtame.

1Nolimitangere(Latin)~‘touchmenot’:thephrasespokenbyChristafterhisresurrectiontoMaryMagdelenewhensherecognizeshim(John20:17).

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SirPhilipSidney~Sonnet1,fromhissequenceAstrophilandStella(1582/1591)

Lovingintruth,andfaininversemylovetoshow, |fain=wanting

ThatShe,dearShe,mighttakesomepleasureofmypain;

Pleasuremightcauseherread,readingmightmakeherknow,

Knowledgemightpitywin,andpitygraceobtain;

Isoughtfitwordstopainttheblackestfaceofwoe,

Studyinginventionsfine,herwitstoentertain;

Oftturningothers’leaves,toseeifthencewouldflow

Somefreshandfruitfulshowersuponmysunburnedbrain.

Butwordscamehaltingforth,wantingInvention’sstay;

Invention,Nature’schild,fledstep-dameStudy’sblows;

Andothers’feetstillseemedbutstrangersinmyway.

Thus,greatwithchildtospeak,andhelplessinmythroes,

Bitingmytruantpen,beatingmyselfforspite.

“Fool,”saidmyMusetome,“lookinthyheart,andwrite!”

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EdmundSpenser~sonnet75,fromhissequenceAmoretti(1595)

OnedayIwrotehernameuponthestrand, |strand=beach

Butcamethewavesandwasheditaway:

AgainIwroteitwithasecondhand,

Butcamethetide,andmademypainshisprey. 4

Vainman,saidshe,thatdostinvainassay, |thatdoesinvaintry

Amortalthingsotoimmortalize;

ForImyselfshallliketothisdecay,

Andekemynamebewipedoutlikewise. 8

Notso,(quodI),letbaserthingsdevise |quod=said

Todieindust,butyoushalllivebyfame:

Myverseyourvirtuesrareshalleternize, |eternize=makeeternal

Andintheheavenswriteyourgloriousname: 12

Wherewhenasdeathshallalltheworldsubdue, |whenas=when,atthetime

Ourloveshalllive,andlaterliferenew.

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WilliamShakespeare,fromRomeo&Juliet(1595)BelowarethefirstwordsthatRomeoandJulietspeaktogetherinShakespeare’splay.WhatdoyouthinkRomeodoesashefirstspeaks(theclueisinhiswords)?Whatdoyounoticeabouttheformoftheirexchange?Howdoyouthinkformmightrelatetocontent(i.e.whatisactuallyhappeningandbeingsaidhere)?

ROMEO [To JULIET] If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand 95 To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. JULIET Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, Which mannerly2 devotion shows in this; For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.3 100 ROMEO Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too? JULIET Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer. ROMEO O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; They pray — grant thou, lest faith turn to despair. JULIET Saints do not move4, though grant for prayers' sake. 105 ROMEO Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take.

(Romeo and Juliet, 1.5.93-106)

2 mannerly: well-mannered; polite. 3 palmer: a pilgrim, especially one who had returned from the Holy Land with a palm leaf as a sign of having undertaken the pilgrimage. 4 saints do not move: saints do not allow their passions to move them to action.

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WilliamShakespeare,sonnet94from

Shakespeare’sSonnets(1611)

Theythathavepowertohurtandwilldonone,

Thatdonotdothethingtheymostdoshow,

Who,movingothers,arethemselvesasstone,

Unmoved,cold,andtotemptationslow:

Theyrightlydoinheritheaven'sgraces

Andhusbandnature'srichesfromexpense;

Theyarethelordsandownersoftheirfaces,

Othersbutstewardsoftheirexcellence.

Thesummer'sfloweristothesummersweet

Thoughtoitselfitonlyliveanddie,

Butifthatflowerwithbaseinfectionmeet,

Thebasestweedoutbraveshisdignity:

Forsweetestthingsturnsourestbytheirdeeds;

Liliesthatfestersmellfarworsethanweeds.

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WilliamShakespeare,sonnet135fromShakespeare’sSonnets(1611)

Whoeverhathherwish,thouhastthyWill,

AndWilltoboot,andWillinoverplus;

MorethanenoughamIthatvextheestill,

Tothysweetwillmakingadditionthus.

Wiltthou,whosewillislargeandspacious,

Notoncevouchsafetohidemywillinthine?

Shallwillinothersseemrightgracious,

Andinmywillnofairacceptanceshine?

Thesea,allwater,yetreceivesrainstill,

Andinabundanceaddethtohisstore;

SothoubeingrichinWilladdtothyWill

Onewillofmine,tomakethylargeWillmore.

Letnounkind,nofairbeseecherskill;

Thinkallbutone,andmeinthatoneWill.

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LadyMaryWroth,sonnet2fromPamphilia,toAmphilanthus(1621)

Lovelikeajuggler,comestoplayhisprize,

Andallmindsdrawhiswonderstoadmire,

Toseehowcunninglyhe,wantingeyes,

Canyetdeceivethebestsightofdesire:

Thewantonchild,howhecanfeignhisfire

Soprettily,asnoneseeshisdisguise!

Howfinelydohistricks,whilewefoolshire

Thebadge,andofficeofhistyrannies,

Forintheend,suchjugglinghedothmake

Asheourhearts,insteadofeyesdothtake

Formencanonlybytheirsleightsabuse

Thesightwithnimble,anddelightfulskill;

Butifheplay,hisgainisourlostwill:

Yetchildlike,wecannothissportsrefuse.

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JohnDonne,sonnet14fromHolySonnets(1633)

Battermyheart,three-person'dGod,foryou

Asyetbutknock,breathe,shine,andseektomend;

ThatImayriseandstand,o'erthrowme,andbend

Yourforcetobreak,blow,burn,andmakemenew. 4

I,likeanusurp'dtowntoanotherdue,

Labortoadmityou,butoh,tonoend;

Reason,yourviceroyinme,meshoulddefend,

Butiscaptiv'd,andprovesweakoruntrue. 8

YetdearlyIloveyou,andwouldbelov'dfain,

Butambetroth'duntoyourenemy;

Divorceme,untieorbreakthatknotagain,

Takemetoyou,imprisonme,forI, 12

Exceptyouenthrallme,nevershallbefree,

Noreverchaste,exceptyouravishme.

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GeorgeHerbert,‘Redemption’,fromTheTemple(1633)

Havingbeentenantlongtoarichlord,

Notthriving,Iresolvèdtobebold,

Andmakeasuituntohim,toafford

Anewsmall-rentedlease,andcancelth’old.

InheavenathismanorIhimsought;

Theytoldmetherethathewaslatelygone

Aboutsomeland,whichhehaddearlybought

Longsinceonearth,totakepossessiòn.

Istraightreturned,andknowinghisgreatbirth,

Soughthimaccordinglyingreatresorts;

Incities,theaters,gardens,parks,andcourts;

AtlengthIheardaraggednoiseandmirth

Ofthievesandmurderers;thereIhimespied,

Whostraight,Yoursuitisgranted,said,anddied.

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JohnMilton,sonnet19,‘OnHisBlindness’(c.1652-1655)

WhenIconsiderhowmylightisspent,

Erehalfmydaysinthisdarkworldandwide,

Andthatonetalentwhichisdeathtohide

Lodgedwithmeuseless,thoughmysoulmorebent

ToservetherewithmyMaker,andpresent

Mytrueaccount,lestHereturningchide;

"DothGodexactday-labor,lightdenied?"

Ifondlyask.ButPatience,toprevent

Thatmurmur,soonreplies,"Goddothnotneed

Eitherman'sworkorHisowngifts.Whobest

BearHismildyoke,theyserveHimbest.Hisstate

Iskingly:thousandsatHisbiddingspeed,

Andposto'erlandandoceanwithoutrest;

Theyalsoservewhoonlystandandwait."

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WilliamWordsworth,‘ComposeduponWestminsterBridge,September3,1802’

Earthhasnotanythingtoshowmorefair:

Dullwouldhebeofsoulwhocouldpassby

Asightsotouchinginitsmajesty:

ThisCitynowdoth,likeagarment,wear 4

Thebeautyofthemorning;silent,bare,

Ships,towers,domes,theatres,andtempleslie

Openuntothefields,andtothesky;

Allbrightandglitteringinthesmokelessair. 8

Neverdidsunmorebeautifullysteep

Inhisfirstsplendour,valley,rock,orhill;

Ne'ersawI,neverfelt,acalmsodeep!

Theriverglidethathisownsweetwill: 12

DearGod!theveryhousesseemasleep;

Andallthatmightyheartislyingstill!

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PercyByssheShelley,‘Ozymandias’

Imetatravellerfromanantiqueland,

Whosaid—“Twovastandtrunklesslegsofstone

Standinthedesert....Nearthem,onthesand,

Halfsunkashatteredvisagelies,whosefrown, 4

Andwrinkledlip,andsneerofcoldcommand,

Tellthatitssculptorwellthosepassionsread

Whichyetsurvive,stampedontheselifelessthings,

Thehandthatmockedthem,andtheheartthatfed; 8

Andonthepedestal,thesewordsappear:

MynameisOzymandias,KingofKings;

LookonmyWorks,yeMighty,anddespair!

Nothingbesideremains.Roundthedecay 12

OfthatcolossalWreck,boundlessandbare

Theloneandlevelsandsstretchfaraway.”

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JohnKeats,‘OnSittingDowntoReadKingLearOnceAgain’

Ogolden-tonguedRomancewithserenelute!

FairplumedSyren!Queenoffaraway!

Leavemelodizingonthiswintryday,

Shutupthineoldenpages,andbemute: 4

Adieu!foronceagainthefiercedispute,

Betwixtdamnationandimpassion'dclay

MustIburnthrough;oncemorehumblyassay

Thebitter-sweetofthisShakespearianfruit. 8

ChiefPoet!andyecloudsofAlbion,

Begettersofourdeepeternaltheme,

WhenthroughtheoldoakforestIamgone,

Letmenotwanderinabarrendream, 12

ButwhenIamconsumedinthefire,

GivemenewPhoenixwingstoflyatmydesire.

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ChristinaRossetti,‘IwishIcouldrememberthatfirstday’

Eragial’orachevolgeildesio.–Dante

Ricorroaltempoch’iovividiprima.–Petrarca

IwishIcouldrememberthatfirstday,

Firsthour,firstmomentofyourmeetingme,

Ifbrightordimtheseason,itmightbe

SummerorWinterforaughtIcansay; 4

Sounrecordeddiditslipaway,

SoblindwasItoseeandtoforesee,

Sodulltomarkthebuddingofmytree

ThatwouldnotblossomyetformanyaMay. 8

IfonlyIcouldrecollectit,such

Adayofdays!Iletitcomeandgo

Astracelessasathawofbygonesnow;

Itseemedtomeansolittle,meantsomuch; 12

IfonlynowIcouldrecallthattouch,

Firsttouchofhandinhand–Didonebutknow!

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GerardManleyHopkins,‘PiedBeauty’

GlorybetoGodfordappledthings–

Forskiesofcouple-colourasabrindedcow;

Forrose-molesallinstippleupontroutthatswim;

Fresh-firecoalchestnut-falls;finches’wings;

Landscapeplottedandpieced–fold,fallow,andplough;

Andálltrádes,theirgearandtackleandtrim.

Allthingscounter,original,spare,strange;

Whateverisfickle,freckled(whoknowshow?)

Withswift,slow;sweet,sour;adazzle,dim;

Hefathers-forthwhosebeautyispastchange:

Praisehim.

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GerardManleyHopkins,‘TheWindhover’ToChristourLord

Icaughtthismorningmorning'sminion,king-

domofdaylight'sdauphin,dapple-dawn-drawnFalcon,inhisriding

Oftherollinglevelunderneathhimsteadyair,andstriding

Highthere,howherunguponthereinofawimplingwing

Inhisecstasy!thenoff,offforthonswing,

Asaskate'sheelsweepssmoothonabow-bend:thehurlandgliding

Rebuffedthebigwind.Myheartinhiding

Stirredforabird,–theachieveof,themasteryofthething!

Brutebeautyandvalourandact,oh,air,pride,plume,here

Buckle!ANDthefirethatbreaksfromtheethen,abillion

Timestoldlovelier,moredangerous,Omychevalier!

Nowonderofit:shéerplódmakesploughdownsillion

Shine,andblue-bleakembers,ahmydear,

Fall,gallthemselves,andgashgold-vermilion.

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W.B.Yeats,‘LedaandtheSwan’

Asuddenblow:thegreatwingsbeatingstill

Abovethestaggeringgirl,herthighscaressed

Bythedarkwebs,hernapecaughtinhisbill,

Heholdsherhelplessbreastuponhisbreast.

Howcanthoseterrifiedvaguefingerspush

Thefeatheredgloryfromherlooseningthighs?

Andhowcanbody,laidinthatwhiterush,

Butfeelthestrangeheartbeatingwhereitlies?

Ashudderintheloinsengendersthere

Thebrokenwall,theburningroofandtower

AndAgamemnondead.

Beingsocaughtup,

Somasteredbythebrutebloodoftheair,

Didsheputonhisknowledgewithhispower

Beforetheindifferentbeakcouldletherdrop?

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RupertBrooke,‘Love’

Love is a breach in the walls, a broken gate,

Where that comes in that shall not go again;

Love sells the proud heart’s citadel to Fate.

They have known shame, who love unloved. Even then

When two mouths, thirsty each for each, find slaking,

And agony’s forgot, and hushed the crying

Of credulous hearts, in heaven—such are but taking

Their own poor dreams within their arms, and lying

Each in his lonely night, each with a ghost.

Some share that night. But they know love grows colder,

Grows false and dull, that was sweet lies at most.

Astonishment is no more in hand or shoulder,

But darkens, and dies out from kiss to kiss.

All this is love; and all love is but this.

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W.H.Auden,sonnet16fromInTimeofWar(1939)

XV

Enginesbearthemthroughthesky:they’refree

Andisolatedliketheveryrich;

Remotelikesavants,theycanonlysee

Thebreathingcityasatargetwhich

Requirestheirskill;willneverseehowflying

Isthecreationofideastheyhate,

Norhowtheirownmachinesarealwaystrying

Topushthroughintolife.Theychoseafate

Theislandswheretheylivedidnotcompel.

Thoughearthmayteachourproperdiscipline,

Atanytimeitwillbepossible

Toturnawayfromfreedomandbecome

Boundliketheheiressinhermother’swomb,

Andhelplessasthepoorhavealwaysbeen.

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SarahHowe,‘Relativity’

forStephenHawking

Whenwewakeupbrushedbypanicinthedark

ourpupilsgropefortheshapeofthingsweknow.

Photonsloosedfromslitslikegreyhoundsatthetrack

reveallight’sdoublenessintheircastshadows

thatstripeadimmedlab’swall—particlesnomore—

andwithawavebidallcertaintiesgoodbye.

Forwhat’ssureinauniversethatdopplers

awaylikeasiren’smidnightcry?Theysay

aflashseenfromonandoffahurtlingtrain

willexplainwhytimedilateslikeaperfect

afternoon;predictsblackholeswhereparallellines

willmeet,whosestarkhorizonevenstarlight,

bentinitstracks,can’tresist.Ifwecanthink

thisfar,mightnotoureyesadjusttothedark?

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EmilyCritchley,‘AFinalSonnet’

(forLukeHeighton)

Ican’tsimply,&whywouldIcomplicatedly

even

giveupwhat’sbeensobrutishlysuspended,

soanimated,

eventhothissharedlifewhich,travellingbackwards,

separatesaself

fromadifferentself.

Anotherwomanwritessodamn

alonesocietystamps&digsherheelsagain&,

willingthesweethome-coming,

involvingreadydemeaningportraiture,

likesomuchfutureArtHouse,hopes.

Then,inadifferentjoke,aboutwhichlaughing/working/lovingdifferently&better,&soon...

Whichtold,shehasgottenolder.

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SophieRobinson,‘nsfw’

nsfw

i’msickoflove&sadforwhatI’velost:thatbullshitfixofnervyhandshasgone&rudespring’sabully,sun&wavycoldair&youarewell,ihavingneverbeenwelli,iwanttomeetyouanewandbeloved&notthoughtofassilly—toyounowi’maclownoradogwaitingtobeputdown

&somybreastsarehairyteatsforcubsilove&arenotborn,&notforyou,mynewnude

isatrocious&iwonderwhoyouthinkofintheshower,whatwetsyourmeatifnotmyputridbodyyouonce&gently

fucked&whichi,promisingittoyou,havelostthereceiptfor.goawayforalongtime

&meetmeattheairport,runmeabathasbeforewithwaterfromthekettlesokind&we’llshiverintwoinchesforever,thighonthighnevershrinkingfromthemomentbutcyclingitaroundthetime

wedohave,havingbeengiveneachother,&neverunadornedorwaitingtogetbroke.i’dwaittodieforevertohaveunlostthattime&dietoloseitallagain,havingtakentoomuch,havinggot

loveunspentnotwanted&staidunhappyinsidethekettlewaitingtobefilledkindly,

touchedonthecuntormetattheairportwiththeghostsofanimalkingdomsstillinsideme.