Sonnet 104
To me faire friend, you never can be old,
For as you were when first your eye I eyde,
Such seemes your beautie still. Three Winters colde,
Have from the forrests shooke three summers pride,
Three beautious springs to yellow Autumn turn'd,
In processe of the seasons have I seene,
Three Aprill perfumes in three hot Junes burn'd,
Since first I saw you fresh which yet are greene.
Ah yet doth beauty like a Dyall hand,
Steale from his figure, and no pace perceiv'd;
So your sweete hew, which me thinkes still doth stand,
Hath motion, and mine eye may de deceaved.
For feare of which, heare this thou age unbred,
Ere you were borne was beauties summer dead.
Commentary
Address to his beloved
Changes to the original text: line 1, comma inserted after 'friend'; line 3, colon changed to full stop; end of line 8, comma changed to full stop; end of line 10, comma changed to semi-colon; line 11, comma added after 'stand'.
In the first quatrain, the poet remarks that his beloved never can appear old to him (the poet), though three winters have passed since they first met.
In the second quatrain, the poet continues to reflect on the passing of three summers and three autumns since they (he and his beloved) met.
In the third quatrain, the poet remarks that although he does not notice any change in the appearance of his beloved, it is perhaps because the change is slow, like the dial hand of the clock, which one does not see moving, and yet which moves.
In the final couplet, the poet, fearing therefore that he might be deceived, lets posterity know that beauty was dead before they were born.