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Sonnet 44 by William Shakespeare

Analysis

"Sonnet 44" is a poem written by William Shakespeare. This poem speaks about Shakespeare loving someone but wishes he could be with his lover. His lover isn't near, so he's wishing that he would be. He states, "Injurious distance should not stop my way", but "But ah! thought kills me that I am not thought" because he is only human. He doesn't have the powers he wishes he did in order to move quickly and be there at seconds thought.

"Sonnet 44" is a poem made up of fourteen lines written in iambic-pentameter with the rhyme scheme ABABCDCDEFEFGG. Today, this style of poetry is known as the Shakespearean Sonnet.

Poem

Sonnet 44
By William Shakespeare

If the dull substance of my flesh were thought,
Injurious distance should not stop my way.
For then, despite of space, I would be brought
From limits far remote where thou dost stay.
No matter then although my foot did stand
Upon the farthest earth removed from thee.
For nimble thought can jump both sea and land
As soon as think the place where he would be.
But, ah, thought kills me, that I am not thought,
To leap large length of miles when thou art gone,
But that, so much of earth and water wrought,
I must attend times leisure with my moan,
Receiving naught by elements so slow
But heavy tears, badges of either's woe.

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Next: Sonnet 94

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