Sunday 11 April 2010

Shakespeare's Sonnet Sunday - Sonnet 14

Not from the stars do I my judgement pluck;
And yet methinks I have Astronomy,
But not to tell of good or evil luck,
Of plagues, of dearths, or seasons' quality;
Nor can I fortune to brief minutes tell,
Pointing to each his thunder, rain and wind,
Or say with princes if it shall go well
By oft predict that I in heaven find:
But from thine eyes my knowledge I derive,
And, constant stars, in them I read such art
As truth and beauty shall together thrive,
If from thyself, to store thou wouldst convert;
Or else of thee this I prognosticate:
Thy end is truth's and beauty's doom and date.

1. I don't get my knowledge of the future (discernment) from the stars
2. And yet I think I have Astronomy (a way to see into the future),
3. But not to tell of good or evil luck,
4. Of plagues, of food shortages, or how well the crops will do.
5. Nor can I be accurate as to what your fortune will be,
6. Whether you will be hit by bad fortune (rain, wind, thunder),
7. Nor say if princes will have a good life
8. by often predicting the stars.
9. But from your eyes I find my knowledge,
10. And, in your bright shining eyes (constant stars) I can predict
11. that inner truth and outer beauty continue to conquer,
12. if you will turn your mind to (convert) keeping this truth and beauty (through children)
13. Or else I can predict (prognosticate) this:
14. The date of truth and beauty death (doom).

15 comments:

Debbie Lamedman said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Debbie Lamedman said...

Your blog is terrific! I am now a follower. I am also a writer and hope you will follow me as well. My blog is Confessions of a Cluttered Mind at:
http://www.thingsdebbieneedstosay.blogspot.com

Looking forward to reading more of your stuff!

~Debbie

B.J. Anderson said...

This is a fun series! I love the picture, too.

Missed Periods said...

If my husband would just give that argument, maybe I would consider children.

Laura S. said...

I love your Shakespeare Sonnet Sundays! Then I go read a couple more sonnets in my complete Shakespeare collection. Thanks for that!

Patricia Stoltey said...

I've avoided Shakespeare for years (unless it's a movie version starring Kenneth Branagh). :)

Your Shakespeare Sunday choice intrigued me though, perhaps due to my own love of astrology. Nice translation.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Ann - This is one of my favorite of Shakespeare's sonnets so I'm so glad you featured it today : ). It was like hearing someone else's flattering description of a friend of mine.

Construction Black Belt said...

Ann Elle Altman,

I am about to read Chapter 1 of The Sholes Cipher. From your blog I can see I may be a little slow off the mark. also I may be way out of my depth here. But I will persevere.
I am writing under the name Jackson James (the next big writer) and will proceed with utmost caution.

JJ

Nishant said...

This is a fun series
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prashant said...

I love the picture,
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