Michael Drayton's "Since there's no hope, come let us kiss" (Sonnet 61): a podcast!

Just like old times: a podcast reading and analysis of a poem. This time, Michael Drayton's 1619 sonnet #61. It's a goodie.

Read on a hike on a weirdly warm afternoon in the middle of winter, in the Unita mountains. It’s been so warm and dry here, and I’m actually really nervous about the horrible summer that we’re sure to have to endure.

The snow that you see/hear is thin, patchy, and only exists up in the mountains. Down in the valley where we all live, it’s dry, dry, dry. Dangerously dry. No bueno. We’re hoping, praying, fasting, crossing-our-fingers-and-wishing for snow. May March be an unending blanket of snow that grinds us to a halt. May April still be buried under ice. May May leave the mountaintops still under a massive weight of it. May the ski resorts keep operating until June. That’s what I’m hoping for.

Text of poem:

Since there’s no help, come let us kiss and part.
Nay, I have done, you get no more of me;
And I am glad, yea glad with all my heart,
That thus so cleanly I myself can free.
Shake hands for ever, cancel all our vows,
And when we meet at any time again,
Be it not seen in either of our brows
That we one jot of former love retain.
Now at the last gasp of Love’s latest breath,
When, his pulse failing, Passion speechless lies;
When Faith is kneeling by his bed of death,
And Innocence is closing up his eyes—
Now, if thou wouldst, when all have given him over,
From death to life thou might’st him yet recover!

Isn’t that nice? (If you don’t think it’s nice just reading, then may I strongly recommend that you listen to the audio, which is a short explanation of the poem that should, I hope, give you a hook to unpack what’s going on, at least.)

There’s obviously a lot more that could be said, but my goal isn’t to do a full scholarly deep dive, but help you to appreciate (and wonder!) something great.

Also, here’s a video where you can see where I was hiking as I was recording. It’s pretty (in a drought-y kind of way…), and I feel so blessed to have this as my literal backyard.

Job update for anyone interested in my personal life: still looking. I’ve got some excellent interviews this week with a couple of companies that I am genuinely excited to work for. Fingers crossed (and prayers passionately prayed) that one of them will make me an offer. After a number of months of waiting, there’s a lot of momentum all of the sudden. I do not have any idea why, but I’m not complaining.

Also, thanks for your patience in my newsletter-ing. It’s been a dry spell here, too, but that’s ending now.

All is well,

Jeff