Volta project, day 15

Change of topic:  A whole sonnet where he (for the moment) isn’t trying to persuade the addressee  J

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XV

  When I consider every thing that grows

  Holds in perfection but a little moment,

  That this huge stage presenteth nought but shows

  Whereon the stars in secret influence comment;

  When I perceive that men as plants increase,

  Cheered and checked even by the self-same sky,

  Vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease,

  And wear their brave state out of memory;

  Then the conceit of this inconstant stay

  Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,

  Where wasteful Time debateth with decay

  To change your day of youth to sullied night,

    And all in war with Time for love of you,

    As he takes from you, I engraft you new.

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Again arranged pretty obviously in couplets.  Beautiful metaphors, with one of his famous metaphors seeing application in lines 3–4.  Note the word conceit in line 9  J  I’m calling the war in line 13 the volta.

The rest of the week is going to be crazy in terms of amount of (other) work  L