Sonnet 73: That time of year thou mayst in me behold Summary

Autumn: In this poem, the poet talks to his beloved. He says that when his beloved looks at him, it is like looking at the season of late autumn. Trees have only a few yellow leaves left, or sometimes no leaves at all. The bare branches shake in the cold wind. They look like the empty choirs of ruined churches, where birds once sang sweetly but are now gone. This image of autumn shows old age. It tells us that the poet is close to the end of his life.

Twilight: Next, the poet compares himself to Twilight. Twilight is the time just after sunset. The last light of the day is fading in the west. Soon, night will come. Night here is a symbol of death, which brings final rest to all. So the poet’s life is now like evening time. His life is moving quickly toward darkness and death.

Dying Fire: Then, the poet compares himself to a dying fire. The fire still glows, but it lies on the ashes of its own youth. The same fire that once gave warmth and energy is now burning itself out. The fire will soon die. This shows that the poet is very close to death.

Stronger Love: Finally, the poet tells his beloved that they (he নাকি she জানা না থাকলে ‘they’ ব্যবহার করা হয়) can see all these signs of age and death in him. These things make the beloved’s love for the poet stronger. The beloved will love him more deeply because they know that the poet will not be alive for long.