1. Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed,

2. The dear repose for limbs with travel tired,

3. But then begins a journey in my head

4. To work my mind, when body's work's expired.

5. For then my thoughts (from far where I abide)

6. Intend a zealous pilgrimage to thee,

7. And keep my drooping eyelids open wide,

8. Looking on darkness which the blind do see

9. Save that my soul's imaginary sight

10. Presents their shadow to my sightless view,

11. Which, like a jewel (hung in ghastly night)

12. Makes black night beauteous, and her old face new.

13. Lo thus, by day my limbs, by night my mind,

14. For thee, and for myself, no quiet find.

Her Old Face New

Dedication: To Henry

Another in an attempt to explain his tormented state of mind no doubt brought on by Elizabeth’s ever agedness and irreconcilability toward recognizing Henry. This time though it appears to me he writes to Henry and explains to him the torture of both day and night. Then expounding on the metaphor of Henry as a shadow speaks of him being seen in the blackest night and which makes both the black night beautiful and Elizabeth’s face new.

1^st Quatrain: (1-4)

Telling of his racing mind as he lays down to sleep weary from his travels.

2^nd Quatrain: (5-8)

Making a journey in his mind in the blackness of night.

3rd Quatrain: (9-12)

Referring to Henry once again as a shadow viewable to him like a jewel in the night

couplet (13-14),

Telling how for he and for Henry there is no peace because of their continuing ordeal

Commentary:

This possibly the hardest of the sonnets to interpret in many ways, if I’m permitted some speculation, my guess is that this sonnet reflects Oxford’s work in securing support for Henry’s claim to the throne. However there really is no way to tell what Oxford’s life or travels might have entailed at this point. Oxford's life is much better documented that that of the Stratford man but during this period the irony is that his front man’s life seems clearly better documented than his own. Perhaps by design. The third person reference to Elizabeth in line 12 is of course the major clue to this being to Henry.

The woman’s face, a reference that orthodox scholars seem to completely ignore in an attempt to understand this as part of some mysterious relationship with a young man.

In line 10 the “their” frequently appears as “thy” an indication that reflects the sonnets actual greater metaphorical meaning as the possession shifts here to the poet’s soul.

Vendler again posits the motivation of this sonnet as mere invention to “enact the frustration of insomnia and the creative zeal of the soul’s privilege”. I would ask that if there is no actual connection to the poet here, why posit that there is any connection to him anywhere? Except of course if you can’t make up another excuse.