Poetry Day 2

In Sonnet 30, Shakespeare reveals his self-inflicted punishment through discussion of his personal failures. Diction and repetition illustrate the speaker's inability to forgive himself and move forward from the past. After explaining his habit of reminiscing, Shakespeare admits, "I sigh the lack of many things I sought, and with old woes new wail my dear time's waste." The speaker is disappointed that he wasted the prime of his life and did not achieve everything he desired. Repetition of vocabulary like "woe," "moan," and "grief" throughout the poem shows that Shakespeare is unable to rise above his failures. He consistently dwells on his unfulfilling past, causing pain and suffering for himself. Fortunately, a simple change in the speaker's thoughts provides relief from the constant torture of regret. Shakespeare explains, "But if the while I think on thee, dear friend, all losses are restored and sorrows end."