SHAKESPEARE SONNET 57 Sonnet 57 Being your slave

SHAKESPEARE SONNET 57

Sonnet 57 Being your slave, what should I do but tend Upon the hours and times of your desire? I have no precious time at all to spend, Nor services to do, till you require. Nor dare I chide the world-without-end hour Whilst I, my sovereign, watch the clock for you, Nor think the bitterness of absence sour When you have bid your servant once adieu; Nor dare I question with my jealous thought Where you may be, or your affairs suppose, But, like a sad slave, stay and think of nought Save, where you are how happy you make those. So true a fool is love that in your will, Though you do any thing, he thinks no ill.

Meaning: 1 st quatrain Being your slave, what should I do but tend Upon the hours and times of your desire? I have no precious time at all to spend, Nor services to do, till you require. Being your slave, what should I do but wait Upon whenever you desire something? I have nothing to do with my time, No services to perform, until you ask me.

Meaning: 2 nd quatrain Nor dare I chide the world-without-end hour Whilst I, my sovereign, watch the clock for you, Nor think the bitterness of absence sour When you have bid your servant once adieu; Nor do I dare get angry at the tediously slow hours While I watch the clock for you, Nor do I dare think bitterly about your absence When you have bid your slave (me) goodbye;

Meaning: 3 rd quatrain Nor dare I question with my jealous thought Where you may be, or your affairs suppose, But, like a sad slave, stay and think of nought Save, where you are how happy you make those. Nor dare I question with my jealous thoughts Where you may be, or what you could be doing, But, like a sad slave I wait and think of nothing But how happy the people must be around you.

Meaning: couplet So true a fool is love that in your will, Though you do any thing, he thinks no ill. So loyal a fool is love that, in whatever your choice of action, You may do anything you desire, and he [love] thinks no evil of you.

Sonnet 57 Being your slave, what should I do but tend Upon the hours and times of your desire? I have no precious time at all to spend, Nor services to do, till you require. Nor dare I chide the world-without-end hour Whilst I, my sovereign, watch the clock for you, Nor think the bitterness of absence sour When you have bid your servant once adieu; Nor dare I question with my jealous thought Where you may be, or your affairs suppose, But, like a sad slave, stay and think of nought Save, where you are how happy you make those. So true a fool is love that in your will, Though you do any thing, he thinks no ill.