Sonnet 11

1. As fast as thou shalt wane so fast thou growest,

2. In one of thine, from that which thou departest,

3. And that fresh blood which youngly thou bestowest,

4. Thou mayst call thine when thou from youth convertest,

5. Herein lives wisdom, beauty, and increase,

6. Without this folly, age and cold decay,

7. If all were minded so, the times should cease,

8. And threescore year would make the world away:

9. Let those whom Nature hath not made for store,

10. Harsh, featureless, and rude, barrenly perish,

11. Look, whom she best endow'd, she gave the more;

12. Which bounteous gift thou shouldst in bounty cherish,

13. She carved thee for her seal, and meant thereby,

14. Thou shouldst print more, not let that copy die.

Bounteous Gift

Dedication: To Elizabeth

Explaining to Elizabeth that even has she rapidly deteriorates, she yet still lives and grows, when he tells her “from youth convertest”. Thus he explains that wisdom (herself), beauty (Henry) and increase (Henry’s recognition) can all come together into one. And without this combination the folly and decay he describes. Then he tells her that if everyone were to do as she has done humanity would fade away and her apparent 60 years at this time would be all there is. Telling her to look toward what Nature has bestowed (Henry), a bounty to cherish. Explaining that she should let Henry carry on and make more of her not let him wither away unrecognized.

1st Quatrain: (1-4)

Entwining Elizabeth and Henry as one. Telling Elizabeth that as fast as she wanes Henry grows in line 1. While she departs in line 2, Henry bestows in line 3. That she effectively calls herself (through Henry) when "from youth convertest", she transforms Henry in line 4.

2nd Quatrain: (5-8)

Telling her that this advice embodies wisdom, beauty, and increase in line 5. The beauty and increase through Henry and recognition. Conversely he says are "folly, age, and cold decay" in line 6.Offering Elizabeth that her 60 years would be for nought in line 8. The year is thus 1593 and miraculously Elizabeth lived another 10 years.

3rd Quatrain: (9-12)

Mentioning to Elizabeth to let those that Nature did not make to keep in store barrenly perish in lines 9 and 10. Alluding to Henry's beauty as that which was best endowed and thus given more in line 11. Offering to her that she should cherish Henry not discard him in line 12.

couplet (13-14),

Telling Elizabeth that Nature created Henry for her seal and using the metaphor of books tells her not to let Henry go to waste.


Commentary:

Oxford explains the seeming incongruity of Elizabeth both waning and thus aging and also metaphorically growing at the same time. The growth again is only metaphorical and meant to reflect that her son and thus in some measure herself continues to grow. It also reveals Henry growing only metaphorically or in maturity and intellectually and thus ever more capable to assume his rightful role.

Line 4 reveals that conversion is the secret to the “fresh blood” which Elizabeth can bestow. Lines 9 and 10 make clear to not let those made for store perish.

The finish with the admonition to “print more” is yet another metaphorical plea not to procreate of which there is no guarantee of success but merely to recognize which is essentially an act of creating a copy much as a simple execution of the printing process. This sonnet again seems very unfit for addressing a young man in his prime.