Public Domain Project: Sonnet Seven - Lo! In The Orient When The Gracious Light

William Shakespeare’s Sonnet Seven (Lo! In The Orient When The Gracious Light) is the 7th of his 154 sonnets published in 1609. This is also the Seventh of the “Fair Youth” sonnets, in which an unnamed man is being addressed by the speaker. In addition to that, it’s the Seventh of the “procreation sonnets” where he feels compelled to convince the fair youth he’s addressing to get out there and get busy with procreation. The lifetime of a man is compared to the passing of a single day in this sonnet. Shakespeare uses the sun directly as a metaphor to describe the journey of the fair youth’s life. When the sun rises in the morning, all look upon it to pay it homage. As the morning passes, the sun tirelessly climbs into its apex in the sky, continuing to draw peoples gaze and admiration. However, the sun will inevitably fall – just as we all must age and die. But, if the fair youth were to have a son himself, he would (essentially) go on to rise another day.

William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 7 Full Poem Text

Lo! in the orient when the gracious light
Lifts up his burning head, each under eye
Doth homage to his new-appearing sight,
Serving with looks his sacred majesty;
And having climbed the steep-up heavenly hill,
Resembling strong youth in his middle age,
Yet mortal looks adore his beauty still,
Attending on his golden pilgrimage:
But when from highmost pitch, with weary car,
Like feeble age, he reeleth from the day,
The eyes, 'fore duteous, now converted are
From his low tract, and look another way:
   So thou, thyself outgoing in thy noon
   Unlooked on diest unless thou get a son.