Sonnet 27- William Shakespeare- Summary

Poem:

Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed,

The dear repose for limbs with travel tired;

But then begins a journey in my head

To work my mind, when body's work's expired:

For then my thoughts--from far where I abide--

Intend a zealous pilgrimage to thee,

And keep my drooping eyelids open wide,

Looking on darkness which the blind do see:

Save that my soul's imaginary sight

Presents thy shadow to my sightless view,

Which, like a jewel hung in ghastly night,

Makes black night beauteous, and her old face new.

Lo! thus, by day my limbs, by night my mind,

For thee, and for myself, no quiet find.

- William Shakespeare

SUMMARY:

The speaker in this sonnet speaks out about his weary mundane activities in search of his soul mate. The summary provided here is spoken from the I person's point of view. “With heavy work tired I would rush to my bed in order to relax my limbs which were weary out of travel. Though I lay to rest in my bed; my mind, and my conscience begin their own journey. The unrest begins even after I rest. My thoughts try to travel from a far distance; they enthusiastically initiate a pilgrimage to reach you because you are sacred to me. Just to think of you I would keep my drooping eyelids wide open even without a blink, looking into the night i.e. darkness and black which is blind to look into. Into the darkness, I see you, my soul; my love which is purely imaginary. Yet my mind tries to save my sightless view. You appear like a jewel in the terrible night and make the dark night colorful with your beautiful face. As you see thus my legs get no rest during the day and my mind gets no rest at the night. It searches for you and gives no peace to my mind and soul."