Sonnet #38, by William Shakespeare

I created this video to cheer up a friend who was feeling down.

Shakespeare's sonnets are compact, intimate, dense with subtlety and entendres. In contrast to how actors usually read Shakespeare, I prefer to read these poems softly, slowly, savoring every word.

In this sonnet, Shakespeare addresses his muse, the person who inspired him. History does not record who this was.

Here is the text of the sonnet.

How can my Muse want subject to invent,
While thou dost breathe, that pour'st into my
verse
Thine own sweet argument, too excellent
For every vulgar paper to rehearse?
O! give thyself the thanks, if aught in me
Worthy perusal stand against thy sight;
For who's so dumb that cannot write to thee,
When thou thyself dost give invention light?
Be thou the tenth Muse, ten times more in worth
Than those old nine which rimers invocate;
And he that calls on thee, let him bring forth
Eternal numbers to outlive long date.
If my slight Muse do please these curious
days,
The pain be mine, but thine shall be the
praise.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• William
• Shakespeare
• sonnet
• 38

[crackfiend570]

i really enjoyed this reading but i have to ask whats with all the pill bottles in the backround? lol i counted seven and who knows whats in that cup. i think i know where you get your inspiration from ha ha no just kidding keep up the good work!

[Urgelt]

Sorry to disillusion you, but it's just dietary supplements.

[AllErikaEclectica]

I thoroughly enjoyed your reading of this sonnet, and, if you don't mind, would like to share it with other poetry lovers in my poetry playlist on my humble page. There are many other lovers of sonnets there. I enjoy your focused and calm delivery. Thank you.

[Urgelt]

The video is copyrighted under the Creative Commons 3.0 share-alike noncommercial license, which means you are free to copy it, distribute it, link to it, and use it, so long as there is no commercial purpose and attribution is maintained.

Ad-supported websites are commercial, however; it's a violation of my copyright to use the work to attract eyeballs to advertising.

[AllErikaEclectica]

@Urgelt Sorry, I just meant I wanted to favorite your video at Youtube and put it in a poetry playlist.

[Urgelt]

Ah, of course. Silly of me.

You don't need my permission for that. :-)

[gavinsalisbury]

dude, you are so cool.

[buffuzo]

did you send your friend some donuts? I have found that can help. Literature is fine, but donuts can augment the verse quite a bit. They are also compact, and a fairly intimate gift. They can be dense as well, some are subtle in flavor, but they do lack a certain depth that poetry supplies. So as I said, they are a good supplement, not necessarily a substitute. When my cat Molotov is feeling low I buy him a donut and play some Bach on the piano. (He just loathes Beethoven for some reason)

[mrboxleytheonly]

where are you from?

[MrFuzzyballs69]

@ZanderTheLegendary OMG You are right.mayb there related O.o

[ZanderTheLegendary]

You look like John Berryman!

[kirby28645]

It's sad that not many people my age really get Shakespeare. His words are always so full of meaning and complexity that not many contemporary works get right (if any at all!) Thank you for this beautiful reading, and I hope to see and hear more readings from you down the line!

[omgtkseth]

Aqueste da al poema belicosa armadura. De erudición; estotro le da pompas y galas. Ambos baten en vano las ridículas alas... ¡Olvidaron cuitados el factor hermosua!

lol, sorry, i miss irak...

[Natashahoneypot]

thank you

[seahippies]

Thank goodness.... an American with some passion and sensitivity....

You give the world hope

(most times when we say this - they turn out to be Canadian ha ha ha )