# CVI explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by William Shakespeare.

## What happens

The poet reflects on descriptions of beauty in old chronicles and poems, concluding that all past praises were merely prophecies of the beloved's beauty, which surpasses what earlier poets could adequately express.

## Themes in this chapter

### Beauty and Transience

The poet celebrates the beloved's beauty as the ultimate realization of all past beauties, yet acknowledges the inadequacy of contemporary praise, hinting at beauty's fleeting nature.

### Art and Immortality

The poem itself serves as a testament to the beloved's beauty, immortalizing it through verse, while lamenting that even the best art falls short of capturing it fully.

## Character check-ins

### Youth

The beloved whose beauty is the culmination of all past descriptions.

### William Shakespeare

The poet who marvels at the beloved's beauty and laments his own inability to praise it fully.

## Key lines

> When in the chronicle of wasted time I see descriptions of the fairest wights, And beauty making beautiful old rhyme In praise of ladies dead and lovely knights, Then, in the blazon of sweet beauty’s best, Of hand, of foot, of lip, of eye, of brow, I see their antique pen would have express’d Even such a beauty as you master now.

When I read old histories and poems describing the most beautiful people of the past, I realize that their descriptions of hands, feet, lips, eyes, and brows were actually attempts to depict the very beauty you possess today.

_The poet argues that past poets were unknowingly prophesying the beloved's beauty._

> So all their praises are but prophecies Of this our time, all you prefiguring; And, for they look’d but with divining eyes, They had not skill enough your worth to sing: For we, which now behold these present days, Have eyes to wonder, but lack tongues to praise.

All their compliments were just predictions of you in our time, but because they could only see dimly into the future, they lacked the skill to truly capture your worth. And we, who see you now, can only marvel but cannot find words to praise you adequately.

_The poet contrasts the limited vision of past poets with the present inability to fully praise the beloved._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_28_se/chapters/cvi
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_28_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_28_se/chapters