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. Sonnet 50 . (original language, but moderately updated) 01. How heavy do I journey on the way, 02. When what I seek (my weary travel's end) 03. Doth teach that ease and that repose to say 04. 'Thus far the miles are measured from thy friend.' 05. The beast that bears me, tired with my woe, 06. Plods duly on, to bear that weight in me, 07. As if by some instinct the wretch did know 08. His rider lov'd not speed being made from thee: 09. The bloody spur cannot provoke him on, 10. That sometimes anger thrusts into his hide, 11. Which heavily he answers with a groan, 12. More sharp to me than spurring to his side, 13. For that same groan doth put this in my mind; 14. My grief lies onward and my joy behind. |
. Sonnet 50 . (paraphrased) 01. How heavy-hearted I journey on my way, 02. When where I go (my weary journey's end) 03. Will lead me, when that time of comfort and rest comes, to say 04. 'So very far, do the miles measure, that separate me from my friend.' 05. The horse that bears me, tired, and apparently feeling my own woe, 06. Plods duly on, (not briskly but just doing its duty,) to bear me and the heaviness of my mood, 07. As if, by some instinct, the poor thing did know 08. His rider did not like moving quickly away from you; 09. Even a bloody spur cannot arouse him to greater speed, 10. When I sometimes, in anger at leaving you, spur him too hard, into his hide, 11. And he responds sluggishly, with a groan 12. That's sharper to me than the spurring is to his side, 13. Because that groan from my horse puts this idea in my mind: 14. My sorrow, at being farther away from you, is ahead of me, and my joy, of being with you, is behind me. |
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Sonnet 50 Gloss
L1: heavy = with a heavy heart. L3: teach = motivate; induce. Lead. "Doth teach" = is teaching; will cause. L3: ease = comfort. L3: repose = rest. (When he arrives at his destination.) L5: beast = horse. L5: tired - (Note, to the right.) L6: duly = as is due. (Note, to the right.) (The word is not "dully," although a pun with "dully" can be assumed.) L7: wretch = "poor thing." L9: bloody spur - (Note, to the right.) |
Sonnet 50 Notes
Sonnet 50 is primarily a statement about loving friendship. It is not really a travel story. ------- L5: tired A good horse will sense its rider's mood, that is to say, it will learn its rider's behaviors: tones of voice, postures, and whether the rider's motion helps or hinders, or is a "dead weight." The Poet is projecting his own mood onto his horse. The horse is probably tired, as stated, but not so bad as described. L6: duly = as is due. The horse carries the rider because doing so is the rider's "due." In other words, the horse is not having fun and moving briskly, but is only doing its duty. (The text word is not "dully," but one can assume a pun with "dully.") L9: bloody spur Probably exaggerated for effect. The Poet probably doesn't actually spur hard enough to draw blood, and it's doubtful he would have worn the kind of spurs that would draw blood even with a firm jab. |
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