Posted by Word Camel on February 01, 2002
"Suns of the world may
stain when heaven's sun staineth." is the last line from Shakespear's sonnet 33.
I think I understand the rest of the poem, on a superficial level at least,
but this last line confuses me. I'm not sure what he means. Is it a pun?
please
lend me your good minds.
Thanks,
C
I'm putting the rest of the poem below for reference.
Full many a glorious morning have I seen
Flatter the
mountain-tops with sovereign eye,
Kissing with golden face the meadows green,
Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy;
Anon permit the basest clouds
to ride
With ugly rack on his celestial face,
And from the forlorn world
his visage hide,
Stealing unseen to west with this disgrace:
Even so my
sun one early morn did shine
With all triumphant splendor on my brow;
But out, alack! he was but one hour mine;
The region cloud hath mask'd him
from me now.
Yet him for this my love no whit disdaineth;
Suns of the
world may stain when heaven's sun staineth.