Welcome to Litsy!

A poem for #holly! Shakespeare‘s “Blow, blow thou winter wind” is a song performed in his play As You Like It. It‘s a beautiful song and you can find lovely renditions on YouTube! #photochallenge #christmascheer

#PoetryMatters @TheSpineView #vile

I‘m probably not the only one that will think of this sonnet.

#PoetryMatters @TheSpineView
#Vassal

Okay! I went through all of my books and pulled out the poetry I know I haven‘t read yet!

Some of these are pretty short, but some are longer, so we‘ll see how this goes. I‘ve also got several ebooks of poetry that I‘ll work on on the cruise! #TheSealeyChallenge

#poetrymatters
#uphold
@TheSpineView

#unrest #poetrymatters @TheSpineView

#unjust #poetrymatters @TheSpineView

#toil #poetrymatters @TheSpineView

#poetrymatters
@TheSpineView
#teem

I had so much fun, exploring the Lilly Library‘s Shakespeare exhibit in Bloomington, Ind. “Four Hundred Years of the First Folio: Celebrating the Works of William Shakespeare” included a first folio edition, and so many more beautiful pieces. There were illustrated copies, examples of Shakespeare, in present day, pop-culture, and more! There was info about early performers of Shakespeare‘s work, & one of their connections to the Bethesda Fountain!

#siege #poetrymatters @TheSpineView

I‘ve been dipping in and out of these sonnets in leisure, (and in mood), sometimes listening to Patrick Stewart‘s recitals, other times reading the text then with the help of a reading guide. In such a concise structure with fixed pattern verses, so much emotional depth can be found, it just amazes me. I don‘t understand them all or enjoyed each of them, but the rich language, and wit of some of them are a pleasure to read and return to in future.

I‘m not generally a poetry reader, so this was tough, but I‘m glad to have made my way through all 154 of the sonnets and added another post-it in my complete Shakespeare! A few caught my attention, some were more interesting after seeing other readers post about them, and several I just read through.

#ShakespeareReadalong #poetry #audiobook

Wading through the murky depths of Shakespeare's psyche is like staring into the abyss & having it stare back at you. Not for the faint-hearted, & for this reason I'm so glad to have had the company of the #ShakespeareReadAlong gang as we made our way through the 154 sonnets, in the capable hands of our guide @GingerAntics . I've always known it was about "love" but the sequence of sonnets is divided between those written to a young man & a woman.

We‘ve come to the end of our journey. How is everyone feeling? That was A LOT in 7 weeks. It was certainly an adventure. Any favourite sonnets that stood out, or theories about the collection you‘d like to share?

I did it. All 154 sonnets, read over the past 7 weeks. I got a little ‘advantage‘ in the end with one of my sons getting Covid. It has meant we are all stuck at home this week.

Thank you for hosting @GingerAntics & for sharing my enthusiasm @Graywacke @batsy @TheBookHippie

But now what will I do with my time? 🤔😆

Sonnet 148. I like this one about the madness or rather the blindness of true love ❤️.

Apologies for my prolific posts. I‘ve almost finished the
#shakespearereadalong #sonnets
along with these crazy cats
@batsy @GingerAntics @Graywacke @TheBookHippie

😏 Really Shakespeare? 🐥👶

So you feel like a neglected child? If the shoe fits…

Even Patrick Stewart couldn‘t bring himself to read this one #sonnetaday #shakespearereadalong #sonnets

@batsy @TheBookHippie @GingerAntics @Graywacke

Sonnet 141 #shakespearereadalong #sonnets
As the Dark Lady sonnets progress we hear about her flaws. He critiques her appearance, her voice & even her smell! “But ‘tis my heart that loves what they (his eyes) despise”.
Not the kind of love poem I‘d want written about me. Did she read them? If so, how did she respond 🤔? And as for smell, I don‘t want to think too much about the smells in the 1590s.

@GingerAntics @Graywacke @batsy @TheBookHippie

4 ⭐

#pop22 #abouttheafterlife as several are about the poems surviving long after the muse/he is dead. @Cinfhen @Cortg @Kalalalatja @4thhouseontheleft @Megabooks @KarenUK @Laughterhp @RaeLovesToRead @squirrelbrain

I‘ve been a terrible leader the last two weeks. I promise to do better. How is everyone doing with their adventures through Shakes‘s sonnets?
#Shakespeare #Sonnets #Poetry #shakespearereadalong #Joetry2022

I‘ve hardly been reading the sonnets at all the last couple weeks, so I‘m trying to start back to them again. Daily poetry is definitely a struggle for me, but I hope to read each day this week so I can catch up a bit and finish this month. I‘ve enjoyed going through other readers‘ posts this morning for the ones I‘ve read or am about to get to.

#ShakespeareReadalong #poetry #BookAndBreakfast

I like to call this one
‘Shakespeare Keeping It Real‘.
It‘s one of my favourite #sonnets. I remember studying it at school.
I am for some reason reminded of the Bruce Springsteen lyric,
“You ain‘t a beauty, but hey you‘re alright”
😉
#shakespearereadalong
@batsy @TheBookHippie @Graywacke @GingerAntics

And so ‘the dark lady‘ enters the fray. Sonnet 127. #shakespearereadalong #sonnets

@TheBookHippie @Graywacke @batsy @GingerAntics

Sonnet 126 was the final one written to the ‘fair young man‘. Hard to believe the relationship was platonic as some have suggested; close relationships between men that were not romances apparently being a thing at the time. What do others think?
And what about the different rhyme scheme & only 12 lines? Maybe it‘s to signify the end of these particular sonnets 🤔.

#shakespearereadalong #sonnets

@GingerAntics @batsy @TheBookHippie @Graywacke

And so quickly after eternal love in Sonnet 116, he moves to vile & evil men 👿.
‘If you don‘t know me then keep your opinions to yourself‘ seems to be the message here.
I wonder who and in what way he was being judged? His work perhaps 🤔?

#shakespearereadalong #sonnnets

@GingerAntics @Graywacke @batsy @TheBookHippie

One of my favourites and often read at weddings because of its message about the permanence of true love 💕.

#shakespearereadalong #sonnets

@TheBookHippie @Graywacke @batsy @GingerAntics

This is the title page from the 1609 first edition of Shakespeare‘s Sonnets. How many have actually made it to sonnet 110? (I‘m not) How is secretive doing with the Sonnets? (I‘m a bit behind) Any favourites pop out at you this week? What do you think this week‘s theme was?
#Shakespeare #Sonnets #Poetry #shakespearereadalong #Joetry2022

Up to sonnet 106 (of 154) in the #sonnets #shakespearereadalong. Seems to be another sonnet contemplating the beauty of his muse/friend/lover.

Is the gentleman pictured here supposed to be ‘the fair youth‘ I wonder 🤔?

@GingerAntics @Graywacke @batsy @TheBookHippie

I am pleasantly surprised how much I am enjoying the #shakespearereadalong of his #sonnets. I‘m sure this beautiful edition is helping.
I‘m into the 100s now. Reading them to myself, then aloud, listening to others read them online & reading analysis of them is helping me process & understand them.
👏💪📖🎉
@GingerAntics @Graywacke @batsy @TheBookHippie

Sorry I‘m getting this up so late. I start a new job tomorrow, and I totally forgot it was Sunday.
How is everyone doing with the sonnets? Any favourites jumping out at you?
#Shakespeare #Sonnets #Poetry #shakespearereadalong #Joetry2022

Sonnet 81. How interesting that here Shakespeare seems to be pondering that his muse will live on in the poems but Shakespeare himself will be forgotten.

We don‘t even know the name of the subject of his sonnets, but forever more Shakespeare himself will be known to all.

Catching up on my #shakespearereadalong #sonnets on a winter afternoon here in Western Australia. I enjoyed this one where Shakespeare compares his love to food; both so essential to life. Will he starve himself or be a glutton? Same, same 🤷‍♀️😆

#shakespearereadalong #sonnets 73

When 16 year old me analysed this sonnet, I wrote things in the margin like:
“Destruction of the beautiful”
“Death” and
“Will is saying, ‘make the most of me while I‘m here‘”
51 year old me agrees 😂

@GingerAntics
@Graywacke
@batsy
@TheBookHippie

Sonnet 69 sure is resonating with me today. Someone in my life is physically beautiful & admired, but I‘m noticing their less admirable qualities. Unlike Shakespeare in this sonnet, I don‘t think it‘s because of who they are hanging out with. It‘s more that they think they are better than others and go through the world deflecting any evidence to the contrary. Sometimes I think perception is everything. 🤔 #shakespearereadalong #sonnets

I love that this sonnet has the poet getting mad about a rival poet who writes such exalted verse about the youth, & that Shakespeare/the poet is basically just like, "I understand if he is more worthy of you than I am, because he does indeed have Big Ship Energy" ? ?

#ShakespeareReadAlong

More Sunday morning Shakespeare . . . I caught up through Sonnet 66 this morning with breakfast.

#ShakespeareReadalong #poetry #BookAndBreakfast

It‘s that time again Shakes fam! I‘ve been inspired by Dan‘s photos for some of the sonnets and found this intriguing photo of a shakes stature inadvertently holding a lovely autumn leaf. How is everyone doing? Are you enjoying the sonnets so far? Any that jump out at you?
#Shakespeare #Sonnets #Poetry #shakespearereadalong #Joetry2022

How is everyone getting along with the sonnets? What was your favourite sonnet so far? Any observations you‘ve noticed?
#Shakespeare #Sonnets #Poetry #shakespearereadalong #Joetry2022

Shakespeare‘s sonnets for the win on a rainy Sunday #shakespearereadalong
Reviewing my 1988 high school analysis as I read these, whilst I listen to the dulcet tones of Sir Patrick Stewart reading them aloud on YouTube.
@GingerAntics @Graywacke @batsy

I found this 1988 illustrated version of Shakespeare‘s sonnets on my bookshelf. I would‘ve been in my final year of high school. I think I bought this book as part of a monthly Doubleday subscription at the time 🤔. Such a book nerd through & through 🤓📖❤️.
Enjoying rereading them now as part of the #sonnets #shakespearereadalong hosted by @GingerAntics
 @Graywacke
 @batsy

#shakespearereadalong @GingerAntics @Graywacke @batsy Here‘s some of my high school English Lit analysis 🧐. When I still wrote in my books! 🫣 #sonnets

How is everyone doing with the sonnets? Which one is your favourite so far?
#Shakespeare #Sonnets #Poetry #shakespearereadalong #Joetry2022

I‘ve started Shakespeare‘s sonnets, and I‘m absolutely going to have to rely on the group to get through them all. I‘m using my complete Shakespeare for print as well as this audio. I‘ve also watched some YouTube videos, including by a channel called Line by Line Shakespeare. I know some readers are using print editions with notes, but I‘d appreciate seeing what online sources readers are using alongside as well.

#ShakespeareReadalong #poetry

#julyjam #iforgot which sonnets I studied for my GCSEs (english exams taken in america's grade 10), so this re-read will be interesting as to which ones have been annotated. Sonnet #18 is well known ("Shall I compare thee to a summer's day"), however it turns out I studied #19 instead! @GingerAntics (also studied in this batch - #2 and #7)

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs