A Lesson From Sonnet Xx- the Secret Love of Shakespeare

Who was the fair youth that Shakespeare wrote of? This young man whom nature loved far too much to create as a woman, so she endowed him with something “extra” so that he could be useful for “women’s pleasure”? Who was this man- so fine, so exquisite, that the bard urged him to marry and to procreate so that he could leave behind a living testament to his surpassing beauty such that the world would bare witness to the voracity of Shakespeare’s description of him in the sonnets? Who was he? Does sonnet 20 contain a definitive answer to this question? “This sonnet has much of interest for those seeking to delve to the root of the nature of Shakespeare’s passion. Many have thought that it contains clues, anagrams and acrostics of the young man’s name. Supporters of Southampton or Pembroke could well see in this an effort to wreathe together the letters HE and WS, for Henry, or Herbert and William Shakespeare. It is perfectly possible that some such trick was intended, but very probably we shall not ever be able to verify whether it was or not.” Who was the fair youth? Shakespeare’s secret desire? Mystery unsolved Curiosity might just drive lovers of literature insane as they try to read between the lines. Was this writer whose name was renowned even during his time, a lover of men, camouflaging this truth by marrying a woman, Anne Hathaway? How will we ever know? Will this secret remain unsolved, an enigma that drives the lover of Shakespeare to distraction? Who cares? Does it really matter what was going on in the poet’s life? Isn’t the beauty of his words magical enough to feed your soul? Who is mentioned here? Is it really me or she? Mystery unsolved I speak to MYSELF, and I speak to those who will read this… prose? (Yes, I know it isn’t a haibun because those aren’t REAL haiku) Stop the guesswork. Stop the questions. Stop wondering. Stop asking. Who did this poet have in mind when he/she wrote this? What does this post mean? Why the dedication to that poet? Is there something going on? Are they secret lovers? JUST ENJOY THE POETRY!!! We all have lives outside and inside of the soup. Live and let live. Unless the poet has a burden to dedicate a poem to someone, or to be explicit about who inspired him/her to write it, don’t try to reveal what was meant to be concealed. Period. We will NEVER know. Read the words, revel in the glow, and be content! The words come to life Sweet questions meant to entice Mystery unsolved Eileen Manassain Ghali