SONNET 43When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see,For all the day they view things unrespected;But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee,And darkly bright are bright in dark directed.Then thou, whose shadow shadows doth make bright,How would thy shadow's form form happy showTo the clear day with thy much clearer light,When to unseeing eyes thy shade shines so!How would, I say, mine eyes be blessed madeBy looking on thee in the living day,When in dead night thy fair imperfect shadeThrough heavy sleep on sightless eyes doth stay!All days are nights to see till I see thee,And nights bright days when dreams do show thee me.
In Sonnet 43, the speaker expresses how their true vision and perception are most vibrant during sleep rather than in waking hours. They reflect on how their eyes, while open in the daylight, fail to appreciate the beauty of the beloved when unaccompanied by love. However, in dreams, this beauty becomes vivid and illuminating, highlighting the power of love's influence even in darkness.
The speaker muses on the contrast between day and night, wishing that the beloved's presence could brighten their waking world as it does in dreams. They lament that without the beloved, all days seem dark, while nights filled with dreams create a paradox of brightness. Ultimately, the sonnet reveals a deep longing for a sight of the beloved that could transform every moment into joy.
