Sonnets 44 and 45
Eternal Longing: Unveiling the Depths of Love in Sonnets 44 and 45
Lyrics
If the dull substance of my flesh were thought
If my physical body were made of thought
Injurious distance should not stop my way
Being separated by harmful distance wouldn't hinder my journey
For then despite of space I would be brought
Because in that case, despite the space, I would be brought
From limits far remote where thou dost stay
From far-off places where you reside
No matter then although my foot did stand
It wouldn't matter even if my feet stood
Upon the farthest earth removed from thee
On the most distant part of the earth away from you
For nimble thought can jump both sea and land
Because quick thoughts can traverse both sea and land
As soon as think the place where he would be
Just as fast as one can think of the place where he wants to be
Ah! But thought kills me that I am not thought
Oh! But the thought torments me that I am not merely thought itself
To leap large lengths of miles when thou art gone
To jump great distances of miles when you are absent
But that so much of earth and water wrought
Except that so much of earth and water have conspired
I must attend time's leisure with my moan
I must endure the passing of time with my lamentation
Receiving nought by elements so slow
Receiving nothing from these slow-moving elements
But heavy tears, badges of either's woe
Except for heavy tears, symbols of both our sorrows
The other two, slight air and purging fire
The other two elements, the slight air and purging fire
Are both with thee, wherever I abide
Both accompany you, wherever I am
The first my thought, the other my desire
The first represents my thoughts, the latter my desires
These present-absent with swift motion slide
These are present when absent, swiftly moving
For when these quicker elements are gone
Because when these faster elements depart
In tender embassy of love to thee
In a tender message of love to you
My life, being made of four, with two alone
My life, made of four elements, feels close to death with only two present
Sinks down to death, oppress'd with melancholy
It sinks into sadness, overwhelmed by melancholy
Until life's composition be recured
Until its composition is restored
By those swift messengers return'd from thee
By those swift messengers returning from you
Who even but now come back again, assured
Who have just returned, assuring me of your good health
Of thy fair health, recounting it to me
Sharing the news of your well-being with me
This told, I joy; but then no longer glad
Upon hearing this, I rejoice; but then my happiness doesn’t last
I send them back again and straight grow sad
I send them back to you and immediately become sad again
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