Episode 14: Winter Woe

And, we're back!  Tis the season for sniffles, snow and SONNET 97!  Grab your tissues, blankey and enjoy.

 1609 QUARTO                                                                     ACTING CLUES VERSION

How like a Winter hath my absence beene                            How like a Winter hath my absence been

From thee, the pleasure of the fleeting yeare?                       From thee, the pleasure of the fleeting year?

What freezings have I felt, what darke daies seen?               What Freezings have I Felt, what Dark Days seen?

What old Decembers barenesse every where?                       What old Decembers bareness every where?

And yet this time remov'd was sommers time,                      And yet this time remov'd was / summer's time,

The teeming Autumne big with ritch increase,                      The teeming Autumn big with rich increase,

Bearing the wanton burthen of the prime,                              Bearing the wanton burthen of the prime,

Like widowed wombes after their Lords decease:                 Like Widowed Wombs after their Lords' decease:

Yet this abundant issue seem'd to me,                                    Yet this abundant issue seem'd / to me,

But hope of Orphans, and unfathered fruite,                          But hope of Orphans, and unfathered fruit,

For sommer and his pleasures waite on thee,                         For summer and his pleasures wait on thee,

And thou away, the very birds are mute.                                And thou away, the very birds are mute.

     Or if they sing, tis with so dull a cheere,                                  Or if they sing, tis with so dull a cheer,

     That leaves looke pale, dreading the Winters neere.                 That leaves look pale, dreading the Winter's near.

Enclosure