Sonnet 73

1. That time of year thou mayst in me behold

2. When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
3. Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
4. Bare ruined choirs where late the sweet birds sang.
5. In me thou seest the twilight of such day
6. As after sunset fadeth in the west,
7. Which by and by black night doth take away,
8. Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest.
9. In me thou seest the glowing of such fire
10. That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,
11. As the deathbed whereon it must expire,
12. Consumed with that which it was nourished by.
13. This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong,
14. To love that well which thou must leave ere long

Summary
In this poem, the speaker invokes a series of metaphors to characterize
the nature of what he perceives to be his old age. In the first quatrain, he
tells the beloved that his age is like a “time of year” autumn, when the
leaves have almost completely fallen from the trees, and the weather has
grown cold, and the birds have left their branches. In the second quatrain,
he then says that his age is like late twilight, “As after sunset fadeth in the
west”, and the remaining light is slowly extinguished in the darkness,
which the speaker likens to “death’s second self.” In the third quatrain,
the speaker compares himself to the glowing remnants of a fire, which lies
“on the ashes of his youth” – that is, on the ashes of the logs that once
enabled it to burn-and which will soon be consumed “ by that which it was
nourished by” – that is , it will be extinguished as it sinks into the ashes,
which its own burning created. In the couplet, the speaker tells the young
man that he must perceive these things, and that his love must be
strengthened by the speaker when the speaker, like the fire, is
extinguished by time.

Poem in simple
You may see that time of year in me
When few, or no, yellow leaves hang
On those branches that shiver in the cold bare ruins of
the choir stalls where sweet birds sang so recently.
You see, in me, the twilight of a day, after the sun has
set in the west, extinguished by the black night that
imitates Death, which closes everything in rest. You
see in me the glowing embers that are all that is left of
the fire of my youth – the deathbed on which youth
must inevitably die, consumed by the life that once fed it.
This is something you can see, and it gives your love
the strength deeply to love that which you have to lose
soon

Title
 There were 154 sonnets
 Each sonnet was numbered, thus Sonnet 73

The English/Shakespearean/Elizabethan
sonnet
Format
 14 lines, consisting of:
o 3 quatrains (four lines)
o 1 rhyming couplet (two lines)
 Rhythm: Iambic pentameter
 Rhyme scheme: abab cdcd efef gg
 The first 2 quatrains introduce the main idea and theme of the poem
 At the beginning of the third quatrain, there is a change in poem,
where there is almost a ‘twist’
 The Couplet summarizes and leaves the reader with a new, concluding
image.

Vocabulary
 Bough: branch of a tree
 Ruined: reduced to a state of collapse
 Twilight: period just before it becomes completely dark in the evening
 Seals: a tight and perfect closure
 Ere: before (a specified time)
Tone
In the quatrains the tone is pensive and mournful as the speaker
perceives his proximity to death. It is also melancholic as the speaker
explains that he is aging. The tender tone creates a sentimental and
sorrowful mood.

Themes
Aging
In this poem, the speaker explores what it feels like to get older and face
the reality that death is imminent. The effects of time on one’s physical
health and mental fear are compared to moving further from youth and
closer to death. Part of growing old is longing for the years gone by. Aging
is also associated with a sense of peace and calm as life begins to slow
down. By comparing the speaker to a tree in late autumn his age is
revealed. However, the yellow falling leaves that shake from the cold are
clear signs that the tree is not ready for winter. The comparison of the
bare branches where the birds no longer sing to ruined churches where
the choir no longer sings, reveals how the speaker mourns the loss of his
youthful appearance. The absence of birds implies the peace and quiet
that comes with old age.

Death
The speaker seems to be haunted by the inevitable truth that all living
beings are subjected to death. The poem includes several metaphors for
death. In the second quatrain the moving image of twilight fading as the
sun sets in the west and turning into darkness, symbolises the last
moments of the speaker. The image of fire that is extinguished and
turning into ashes, in the third quatrain, represents a youthful life that is
well lived. The ashes represent a beautiful life that has come to an end.

Love
In line 13 the speaker introduces the theme of love. Although love can
triumph over many obstacles, it is still limited by mortality and nature. In
the poem, love is discussed in relation to the life cycle. The speaker wants
the reader to understand that life is not too long, and it may be too late to
enjoy this light feeling of love. The speaker, therefore, advises the reader
to fall in love as often as possible and to love when possible.
Line by line analyses
In each quatrain the speaker uses a different image to show the
progression of life from youthfulness to old age and death. The following
images have been used: In quatrain 1 the tree, quatrain 2 the sunset and
quatrain 3 the glowing fire

Quatrain 1 – Lines 1-4

In the first quatrain, the speaker compares his current state to autumn, a
season when the leaves fall from the branches. The poet anticipates his
own death and decay. He talks of the time when he will appear as pale
and dry as the world in a cold, biting winter. He compares himself to the
branches of the trees that used to be lovely and melodious. The branches
shake because of the cold wind. This means that he is getting older and
losing his youth just like the trees lose their green leaves. There is a
quietness that comes with getting old, when the youthful exuberance no
longer exists.

In the four lines, the lyrical voice constructs a metaphor to characterize

the nature of old age. Throughout these first lines, the lyrical voice relates
old age to a particular “time of the year”. First, old age is portrayed
autumn, where “yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang”. The lyrical voice
suggests that aging is like the moment of the year when the leaves have
almost completely fallen, the weather is cold, and the birds left their
branches. This metaphor emphasizes the harshness and emptiness of old
age. This can be read, especially when the lyrical voice says that “bough
[…] shake against the cold” and “Bare ruin’d choirs” Sonnet 73 portrays
the lyrical voice’s anxieties towards aging, and, in the first four lines, the
lyrical voice seems to be implying that autumn is the particular time of
the year when death occurs. Moreover, the lyrical voice compares his
aging process to nature, and particularly, to autumn.
1. That time of year thou mayst in me behold “you” – Apostrophe –
A friend
2. When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang Image of
autumn – Metaphor for old age
3. Upon those boughs which shake against the cold Leaves and
boughs (branches) = Tree image – symbol of life/growth. Metaphor - Its
physical changes in winter are compared to the degeneration of the
body as death approaches
4. Bare ruined choirs where late the sweet birds sang S-
alliteration: Emphasises the change that took place Contrast –
ruined choir vs sweet song – Emphasises change

Quatrain 2 – Lines 5-8

In this quatrain the speaker compares his progress towards death as
moving from dusk, (after the sun has set) to night-time. The change in the
comparison from a season to a day shows the speed with which aging
affects the body. The poet implies here the approach of death to him.
Almost becoming depressed. The mood changes to gloom and melancholy.
He says here that he will look like the quickly fading twilight of the day, as
the sun is setting in the west. So, just like the dark night-time takes over
day (or then life), death too will bring him to the oblivion of night, because
the dark is death.

In the next set of lines, the lyrical voice compares the process of aging to
the twilight. As the lyrical voice feels troubled about aging, he/she uses
another metaphor to describe how he/she feels towards old age. The
lyrical voice says that old age is similar to the twilight, as it can be seen in
him/her ("In me thou seest the twilight of such day").

 Then, a particular scenario is described, where the sun fades (As after
sunset fadeth in the west") and night approaches ("Which by and by
black night doth take away"). This metaphor emphasizes the gradual
fading of youth, as the twilight shifts to night "by and by".
 Notice that, in the final line, death is directly related to this particular
time of the day ("Death's second self") and it is described as the one
that brings eternal rest ("seals up all in the rest"). As in the first four
lines, these lines portray aging as the end of a cycle. In the first four
lines, this cycle is represented by the different natural seasons, and in
lines 5-8, the cycle is represented by the moments of the day.
5. In me thou seest the twilight of such day “you” – Apostrophe
Images of sun/light – Metaphor for life; The setting sun
suggests that death is approaching for the speaker.
6. As after sunset fadeth in the west, Simile – life compared to
day
7. Which by and by black night doth take away, Images of
night/darkness – Metaphor for death B-alliteration: Supports the
feeling of death fast approaching
8. Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest. Death’s
appearance compared to night S-alliteration: links dark hours of
night to death

Quatrain 3 – Lines 9-12

The third quatrain clarifies the end that the speaker talks about represents
death that the speaker is moving to. In this quatrain the speaker’s life is
compared to a fire that will soon be extinguished. He refers to both literal
death and figurative death which signifies the end of his youth. The poet
here implies that his lost youthful energy and vitality have well consumed
him and draw him to death. His tone here is deeply distressful and
despondent.

 In these lines, the lyrical voice compares him/herself to ashes. The

lyrical voice mentions that there are remains of fire in him/her ("In me
thou see'st the glowing of such fire/That on the ashes of his youth doth
lie"). This fire represents youth, and, according to the lyrical voice, it
will soon be consumed. Again, this metaphor shows the lyrical voice's
troubled thoughts about aging. Notice the lyrical voice's emphasis on
the consummation of this fire: "As the death-bed were on it must
expire/ Consumed with that which it was nourish'd by".
9. In me thou seest the glowing of such fire “you” – Apostrophe
embers
10. That on the ashes of his youth doth lie, Images of fire –
Metaphor: lifetime compared to a dying fire – the speaker’s youthful
nature has turned to ashes. All that remains of his youth and
vitality
11. As the deathbed whereon it must expire, Simile: ashes
of extinguished fire is compared to a human deathbed die
12. Consumed with that which it was nourished by. Life
(oxygen/breathing) fed the fire, but caused the wood to burn out –
having life was what kept the speaker living, but it also made him grow
older and die

Couplet – Lines 12-14

The speaker introduces the reader to the importance of love. He wants the
reader to see what life is like, so they value their time together. He
reminds us that we need to love well because we will have to leave (die)
soon. The poet feels that this will lead the friend to love him more as one
who is to pass away soon. There is a change in tone from depression to
consolation.

In the final couplet, the lyrical voice defines a purpose. The lyrical voice
notices that his/her love for his/her significant other grows stronger, as he/
she ages, and despite of the old age. The couplet addresses this young
unnamed man from the Fair Youth sequence ("thou"). The lyrical voice
tells this young man to strengthen his love and to understand everything
that he/she has said throughout ("This thou perceives, which makes thy
love more strong"). The possibility of dying, the old age, emphasizes the
need to love even more than before ("To love that well"), considering that
he or the loved one could soon part from the world.

13. This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong,
this =the shadow of death/evidence of degeneration “your” –
Apostrophe Seeing the speaker so weak and struggling will make the
friend love him more sincerely/intensely.
14. To love that well which thou must leave ere long the
speaker This = the shadow of death/evidence of degeneration Seeing
the speaker so weak and struggling will make the friend love him more
sincerely/intensely. The speaker will be separated from his friend for a
long time – permanently (death).

The poet finds consolation from the thought of his friend’s love. His sense
of loss is thus gone, and the mood of depression removed.