Who will believe my verse in time to come, If it were…
““Who will believe my verse in time to come, If it were fill'd with your most high deserts? Though yet, heaven knows, it is but as a tomb Which hides your life and shows not half your parts. If I could write the beauty of your eyes And in fresh numbers number all your graces, The age to come would say 'This poet lies: Such heavenly touches ne'er touch'd earthly faces.' So should my papers yellow'd with their age Be scorn'd like old men of less truth than tongue, And your true rights be term'd a poet's rage And stretched metre of an antique song: But were some child of yours alive that time, You should live twice; in it and in my rhyme.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The poet laments that his verses cannot fully capture the beloved's divine qualities, fearing future readers will doubt his sincerity.
In simple terms: Poetry cannot fully describe true beauty.
Key Takeaway
Accept the limits of language.
Themes
love
art
humility
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
literary
romantic
When to use this quote
- writing love letters
- celebrating a partner
- reflecting on artistic ambition
Key Concepts
poetic idealism
transcendence
Questions to Reflect On
- Can art ever truly capture a person?
- How do we honor what cannot be fully expressed?
A Different Perspective
Even with perfect words, some truths remain ineffable.