Sonnet 28 (Shakespeare)

A Sonnet (or short poem) from a collection written by William Shakespeare, published in 1609. 

#28

Synopsis:

Continuing the thought of s. 27, the poet claims that day and night conspire to torment him. Though he has flattered both day and night by comparing them to beautiful qualities of his beloved, day continues to exhaust him and night to distress him.

 

How can I then return in happy plight

That am debarred the benefit of rest,

When day’s oppression is not eased by night,

But day by night and night by day oppressed;

And each, though enemies to either’s reign,

Do in consent shake hands to torture me,

The one by toil, the other to complain

How far I toil, still farther off from thee?

I tell the day to please him thou art bright

And dost him grace when clouds do blot the heaven;

So flatter I the swart complexioned night,

When sparkling stars twire not, thou ⌜gild’st⌝ the even.

 But day doth daily draw my sorrows longer,

 And night doth nightly make grief’s length seem stronger.

(Project Gutenberg, Public Domain)