Happy Valentines Day, Shakespeare's Sonet 29, Translate by our President Dr. Bill Harlan, "The Bard", as he is known.
Sonnet 29When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,
When I feel like Fate is against me and others think I’m a loser,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And I feel sorry for myself all alone
And trouble deaf heav’n with my bootless cries,
And I feel like my prayers to God are ignored,
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
And I examine my life and feel like it’s useless
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Because I don’t have the prospects that another person has
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
Or because I’m not as good-looking as someone else or have as many friends,
Desiring this man’s art, and that man’s scope,
Or envy another person’s talent or someone else’s power and influence,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
When even things I like to do don’t make me feel better, in fact make it worse;
Yet in these myself almost despairing,
When I am overwhelmed with these thoughts that make me almost despair,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Then by chance I happen to think of you and my state of mind
Like to a lark at break of day arising
Becomes like a lark at dawn that flies to the sky,
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven’s gate;
Leaving the depressing earth and instead sings hymns to the heavens,
For thy sweet love rememb’red such wealth brings,
Because when I remember your sweet love it makes me feel so rich
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.
That I wouldn’t changes places with a king.
