Sonnet 115
Those lines that I before have writ doe lie,
Even those that said I could not love you deerer,
Yet then my judgement knew no reason why,
My most full flame should afterwards burne clearer.
But reckening time, whose milliond accidents
Creepe in twixt vowes, and change decrees of Kings,
Tan sacred beautie, blunt the sharp'st intents,
Divert strong mindes to th'course of altring things:
Alas why fearing of times tiranie,
Might I not then say now I love you best,
When I was certaine ore in-certainty,
Crowning the present, doubting of the rest:
Love is a Babe, then might I not say so
To give full growth to that which still doth grow.
Commentary
Address to his beloved
Changes to the original text
In the first quatrain, the poet asserts that the lines he has previously written claiming that it was impossible for him to love his beloved more in fact lied, but, as excuse, he proposes that he could not have known that his love would grow as it has.
In the second quatrain, the poet lists the things that change during the passing of time: including vows and the decrees of kings, beauty which changes colour (tans), the most firm intentions (sharp'st intents) , and strong minds from their course.
In the third quatrain, the poet argues that, though he fears time's ability to change everything (time's tiranie), he may say again that he now loves his beloved best, when he said the same in the past, certain of himself despite the now-revealed uncertainty (certain ore incertainty). In both cases, the present in the past and the present in the present, the present is crowned, the rest left doubtful. The poet's confidence in the past present assertion that his love could not be greater is vindicated despite the now evident truth that his love for the beloved has in fact grown.
In the final couplet, the poet proposes another solution to the time / present conundrum: his love is like a babe who is, of course, subject to growth.