Sonnet 100: Where Art Thou, Muse, That Thou Forget’st So Long
Sonnet 100: Where Art Thou, Muse, That Thou Forget’st So Long - context Summary
Published in 1609
This poem is Sonnet 100 from Shakespeare's Sonnets, first printed in the 1609 collection. Addressed to the Muse, it asks poetic inspiration to return and promptly celebrate the speaker’s beloved before Time can mar that beauty. As part of the published sonnet sequence, it participates in the cycle’s themes of praise, fame, and resisting decay by verse, asking poetry to "give my love fame faster than Time wastes life."
Read Complete AnalysesWhere art thou, Muse, that thou forget’st so long To speak of that which gives thee all thy might? Spend’st thou thy fury on some worthless song, Darkening thy power to lend base subjects light? Return, forgetful Muse, and straight redeem In gentle numbers time so idly spent; Sing to the ear that doth thy lays esteem, And gives thy pen both skill and argument. Rise, resty Muse, my love’s sweet face survey If time have any wrinkle graven there; If any, be a satire to decay, And make time’s spoils despisèd everywhere. Give my love fame faster than Time wastes life; So thou prevent’st his scythe and crooked knife.
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