# Sonnet LI explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by William Shakespeare.

## What happens

The poet excuses his horse's slow pace when leaving his beloved, but declares that desire will drive him to return with fiery speed, as love overcomes the limitations of flesh.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Desire

The poem centers on the speaker's intense desire to return to the beloved, with love personified as a driving force that overcomes physical limitations.

### Lust and Morality

The tension between 'dull flesh' and 'fiery race' reflects the moral struggle between base physicality and pure love.

## Character check-ins

### William Shakespeare

The speaker who excuses his horse's slowness and expresses his own desire to return to the beloved.

### Love

Personified as the force that drives the speaker's desire and excuses his horse's sluggishness.

## Key lines

> Thus can my love excuse the slow offence Of my dull bearer when from thee I speed:

My love can justify the sluggish fault of my slow horse when I am leaving you.

_The poet begins by excusing his horse's slowness as he departs from the beloved._

> In winged speed no motion shall I know: Then can no horse with my desire keep pace;

Even if I were as fast as a bird, I would feel no movement, because no horse can match the speed of my desire.

_The speaker emphasizes that his desire is so swift that no physical speed can compare._

> But love, for love, thus shall excuse my jade; Since from thee going he went wilful-slow, Towards thee I’ll run, and give him leave to go.

But love will excuse my worn-out horse; since he deliberately went slowly when I left you, I will run back to you and let him go at his own pace.

_The poet concludes that love justifies the horse's slowness, and he will return to the beloved on foot if necessary._

## Links

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