William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 5 Full Poem Text

William Shakespeare’s Sonnet Five (Those Hours, That With Gentle Work Did Frame) is the 5th of his 154 sonnets published in 1609 and the fifth of the “Fair Youth” and “procreation” sonnets. It is a typical Shakespearean sonnet, with three quatrains followed by a couplet. It also has the characteristic rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. Shakespeare metaphorically uses seasons to describe the timeline of life. Specifically, winter is used to describe the latter years. The perfume of a flower distilled in summer reminds us of the once living beauty of the plant. Much like our children carry on in our winter years, reminding us of the summer of our lives. The sonnet is included here for reference and reading enjoyment.

William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 6 Full Poem Text

William Shakespeare’s Sonnet Six (Then Let Not Winter’s Ragged Hand Deface) is the 6th of his 154 sonnets published in 1609 and the sixth of the “Fair Youth” and “procreation” sonnets. It is a typical Shakespearean sonnet, with three quatrains followed by a couplet. It also has the characteristic rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. Again, we see winter as a metaphor for aging as Shakespeare warns the fair youth about the prospect of growing old and dying before bearing children. In fact, there is a mathematical formula presented in this sonnet calculating just how happy the young man could be based off of the number of children he has! The sonnet is included here for reference and reading enjoyment.

William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 2 Recited by James Louis Steed

An oration by James Louis Steed of the 2nd of Shakespeare’s 154 sonnets published in 1609. This sonnet is the second of the author’s “Fair Youth” and “procreation” sonnets. The poem warns the fair youth being addressed that he will most certainly regret perpetuating his youthful debauchery when he reaches the ripe old age of forty, particularly if he ultimately ends up failing to marry and produce offspring.

William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 1 Recited by James Louis Steed

William Shakespeare’s Sonnet One (From Fairest Creatures We Desire Increase) is the 1st of his 154 sonnets published in 1609 and the First of the “Fair Youth” and “procreation” sonnets. It is a typical Shakespearean sonnet, with three quatrains followed by a couplet. It also has the characteristic rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The poem attempts to convince the fair youth that his reluctance to carry his unique qualities on through having children is selfish and self-destructive.

William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 1 Full Poem Text

William Shakespeare’s Sonnet One (From Fairest Creatures We Desire Increase) is the 1st of his 154 sonnets published in 1609 and the first of the “Fair Youth” and “procreation” sonnets. It is a typical Shakespearean sonnet, with three quatrains followed by a couplet. It also has the characteristic rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The poem attempts to convince the fair youth that his reluctance to carry his unique qualities on through having children is selfish and self-destructive. The sonnet is included here for reference and reading enjoyment.

William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 2 Full Poem Text

William Shakespeare’s Sonnet Two (When Forty Winters Shall Besiege Thy Brow) is the 2nd of his 154 sonnets published in 1609 and the second of the “Fair Youth” and “procreation” sonnets. It is a typical Shakespearean sonnet, with three quatrains followed by a couplet. It also has the characteristic rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The poem warns the fair youth being addressed that he will most certainly regret perpetuating his youthful debauchery when he reaches the ripe old age of forty, particularly if he ultimately ends up failing to marry and produce offspring. The sonnet is included here for reference and reading enjoyment.

William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 3 Full Poem Text

William Shakespeare’s Sonnet Three (Look In Thy Glass And Tell The Face Thou Viewest) is the 3rd of his 154 sonnets published in 1609 and the third of the “Fair Youth” and “procreation” sonnets. It is a typical Shakespearean sonnet, with three quatrains followed by a couplet. It also has the characteristic rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. Again, Shakespeare warns of the dire consequences of growing old and dying without having offspring. He does so by offering two different outcomes to the youth’s life. One being an empty future with gloomy golden years, while another is full of life and joy as he lives on through his future generations. The sonnet is included here for reference and reading enjoyment.

Edgar Allan Poe’s The–Lake–To Full Poem Text

William Shakespeare’s Sonnet Two (When Forty Winters Shall Besiege Thy Brow) is the 2nd of his 154 sonnets published in 1609 and the second of the “Fair Youth” and “procreation” sonnets. It is a typical Shakespearean sonnet, with three quatrains followed by a couplet. It also has the characteristic rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The poem warns the fair youth being addressed that he will most certainly regret perpetuating his youthful debauchery when he reaches the ripe old age of forty, particularly if he ultimately ends up failing to marry and produce offspring. The sonnet is included here for reference and reading enjoyment.