there are sonnets and I have no idea regarding the mortality rate in them

NATLBSB!

Oh! Nilly!

The sonnets are a great way to start Shakespeare! Like:

When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featur'd like him, like him with friends possess'd,
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

"bootless" means "hopeless"

"haply" means "I happen to," like, "I happened to think that moment about Nilly"

I LOVE Shakespeare!

Yes Megan, the very same.

"bootless" means "hopeless"

I kinda liked the "bootless cries" to be cries with no protection on them, walking bare-feet and being hurt by the obstacles on the earth and the gates of heaven or the like, but I can see, of course, that your explanation makes more sense.

And now, I've actually read one of the sonnets! And nobody died in it, and it even was hopeful in a lovely way. I needed to read it twice, aloud both times, in order to follow what was in it, but once I did, I immediately read it a third time, just for enjoying it. Which I did. And I would have never done, without you. Thanks!

cool, msbelle. what kind of soup did you get?

My boss was just in my cube and she said to me "is that a grey hair??" to which I responded, "Yeah, i have a bunch." I felt that was kinda rude. I've refrained from commenting on the fact that she has worn the same dress everyday since April.

Nilly, here's a sonnet I think you'd like. I love it (it's actually one of my audition pieces):

Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took,
And each doth good turns now unto the other:
When that mine eye is famish'd for a look,
Or heart in love with sighs himself doth smother,
With my love's picture then my eye doth feast
And to that painted banquet bids my heart;
Another time mine eye is my heart's guest
And in his thoughts of love doth share a part:
So, either by thy picture or my love,
Thyself away art present still with me;
For thou no farther than my thoughts canst move,
And I am still with them, and they with thee;
Or, if they sleep, thy picture in my sight
Awakes my heart to heart's and eye's delight.

(Betwixt means between. I'm fairly sure you know the rest of the words, but I'm happy to explain if needed.)

(Also, very sad at the possibility of not seeing Perkins today. Wah!)

tomato basil.

god, that WAS rude. What is wrong with people?

ION, I lost my driver's license on vacation and am spending my lunch calling various lost and found offices. Seems to be a lost cause.

Yea! I'm so glad you liked it, Nilly! It's one of my favorites.

And, hey, your description of bootless jibes with hopeless, and is much more poetic.

So there!

juliana, "doth" is like "do" or "does"?

it's actually one of my audition pieces

I wish I could hear you say it. I need to read it aloud in order to try to figure it out, and I'm sure that reading-aloud by somebody who understands and loves it will improve this (like, when trying to study Talmud, for example, being able to read it properly, puncuating the right places and the like, means you already figured out lots of what's going on inside the complicated sentences there).

t Goes back to read for a second time

your description of bootless jobes with hopeless, and is much more poetic.

Whee! I'm more poetic than actual meaning of words. Um, never mind.