Sonnet 55 (plus a note to readers on our 1,000th poem)
William Shakespeare
Not marble nor the gilded monuments
Of princes shall outlive this powerful rhyme,
But you shall shine more bright in these contents
Than unswept stone besmeared with sluttish time.
When wasteful war shall statues overturn,
And broils root out the work of masonry,
Nor Mars his sword nor war’s quick fire shall burn
The living record of your memory.
’Gainst death and all-oblivious enmity
Shall you pace forth; your praise shall still find room
Even in the eyes of all posterity
That wear this world out to the ending doom.
So, till the Judgement that yourself arise,
You live in this, and dwell in lovers’ eyes.
A note to readers on our 1,000th poem
This is the 1,000th poem published on Dead Poets Daily. To my 90,000 subscribers, thank you for your ongoing interest and support. I couldn’t have imagined this number of subscribers when I started, nor after the first year when there were just 300 of us.
I spend a few hours a week sourcing these poems. The income from paid subscribers now covers my (very low) running costs, but does not cover my time. So your enthusiasm is what motivates me to continue.
Amongst other types of poetry, this year I’ve aimed to publish one haiku each month. Many of these came from William Porter’s 1911 book A Year of Japanese Epigrams. I recently edited and arranged a new digital edition of this anthology, which is now available from Apple Books and Flickerwell Classics.
Today I’m gifting this ebook to current and former paid subscribers, in deep appreciation of your support.
All future paid subscribers will also receive a copy, which retails for US$19.99.
For all other subscribers, Dead Poets Daily will remain free (and ad-free).
Thank you again, and kind regards,
Ario Smith
Editor, Dead Poets Daily