William Shakespeare
This sonnet is expressing that it is to our expense that we shame ourselves on throwing ourselves, as it were, upon women who appear to be unsure of making a decision on whether they would marry a man or not. This is a painful situation that needs time and patience. Once the decision has been made by the lady to the man’s happiness the love almost immediately disappears and the ex-lovers hate each other, which is a great disappointment for both of them.
Everyone knows what happens, yet what happens know they not.
I am now going to go onto an entirely different view upon love. George Herbert believes that God is love and is absolutely perfect; in his poem ‘Love Bade me Welcome’ he portrays that Love is welcoming, quick and absolutely perfect in every way, “and therefore he is God”*. This poem also shows that we humans are imperfect and should never question Love.
Love Bade Me Welcome
Love bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning.
If I lacked any thing.
“A guest,” I answered, “worthy to be here:”
Love said, “You shall be he”
“I the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear, I cannot look on thee”
Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,
“Who made the eyes but I?”
Truth, Lord but I have marred them: let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.
“And know you not,” says Love,
“Who bore the blame?”
“My dear then will I serve.”
“You must sit down,” says Love, “and taste my meat.”
So I did sit and eat.
Another view is that love is a great thing never to be thrown away due to sex. e.e cummings thinks that sex is absolutely wonderful and he expresses it very openly, even if the two doing it are not legally together even though one has a wife. Is this immoral? e.e cummings thinks not, he thinks that sex is a wonderful game which can be expressed very openly, very unlike the earlier poet who at the time could not express such things in fear of a public outcry or a police visit. In Edwin’s poem “May I feel said he” the sex is very descriptive and no I don’t mean every gory detail.
May I feel said he
(I’ll squeal said she
just once said he)
it’s fun said she
(may I touch said he
how much said she
a lot said he)
why not said she
(lets go said he
not too far said she
what’s too far said he
where you are said she)
may I stay said he
(which way said she
like this said he
if you kiss said she
may I move said he
is it love said she)
if you’re willing said he
( but you’re killing said she
but its life said he
but your wife said she
now said he)
ow said she
(tiptop said he
don’t stop said she
oh no said he)
go slow said she
(cccome?said he
ummm said she)
you’re divine!said he
(you are Mine said she)
What a great poem, to start with the man has the overpowering status and by the end the lady has status over him. This is a very imaginative and exiting poem.
The fact that the earlier poets language is unfamiliar to today’s people’s language means that some people will literally throw them out the window unfortunately and only go for the modern ones. The earlier poems say what they want to say, but nothing on sex. The modern poems seem to be much more free in style and words. Earlier poems don’t do this in that the time they were written prevented them from doing the modern style and wording.
* Marked quotation (and therefore he is God) from a poem by Christopher Smart named Jubilate Agno (English: Rejoice in the Lamb)
