Friday, November 13, 2009

Can you help me with paraphrasing this poem by edmund spencer?

MY hungry eyes through greedy couetize,


still to behold the obiect of their paine:


with no contentment can themselues suffize,


but hauing pine and hauing not complaine.





For lacking it they cannot lyfe sustayne,


and hauing it they gaze on it the more:


in their amazement lyke Narcissus vaine


whose eyes him staru'd: so plenty makes me poore





Yet are mine eyes so filled with the store


of that faire sight, that nothing else they brooke,


but lothe the things which they did like before,


and can no more endure on them to look.





All this worlds glory seemeth vayne to me,


and all their showes but shadowes sauing she.

Can you help me with paraphrasing this poem by edmund spencer?
The guy is absolutely smitten, painfully in love with some fair creature who is so beautiful (to him) that everything else pales by comparison.
Reply:Amoretti (sonnet) 35 and Sonnet 83 should be closely looked at together (sixth line).





Sonnet XXXV





My hungry eyes through greedy couetize,


still to behold the obiect of their paine:


with no contentment can themselues suffize,


but hauing pine and hauing not complaine.


5 For lacking it they cannot lyfe sustayne,


and hauing it they gaze on it the more:


in their amazement lyke Narcissus vaine


whose eyes him staru'd: so plenty makes me poore.


Yet are mine eyes so filled with the store


10 of that faire sight, that nothing else they brooke,


but lothe the things which they did like before,


and can no more endure on them to looke.


All this worlds glory seemeth vayne to me,


and all their shewes but shadowes sauing she.





Sonnet LXXXIII














My hungry eyes, through greedy couetize,


still to behold the obiect of theyr payne:


with no contentment can themselues suffize,


but hauing pine, and hauing not complayne.


5 For lacking it, they cannot lyfe sustayne,


and seeing it, they gaze on it the more:


in theyr amazement lyke Narcissus vayne


whose eyes him staru'd: so plenty makes me pore.


Yet are myne eyes so filled with the store


10 of that fayre sight, that nothing else they brooke:


but loath the things which they did like before,


and can no more endure on them to looke.


All this worlds glory seemeth vayne to me,


and all theyr shewes but shadowes sauing she.








Just figured you would be interested in this it does change the meanings.
Reply:the guy loves the girl, but can't have her


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