Claire Winters performed Sonnet 45 at Marketfield Street

The other two, slight air and purging fire,
Are both with thee, wherever I abide;
The first my thought, the other my desire,
These present-absent with swift motion slide.
For when these quicker elements are gone
In tender embassy of love to thee,
My life, being made of four, with two alone
Sinks down to death, oppress’d with melancholy;
Until life’s composition be recured
By those swift messengers return’d from thee,
Who even but now come back again, assured
Of thy fair health, recounting it to me:
This told, I joy; but then no longer glad,
I send them back again and straight grow sad.

Lizzie Goldfarb performed Sonnet 128 at the Bowling Green.

How oft, when thou, my music, music play’st,
Upon that blessed wood whose motion sounds
With thy sweet fingers, when thou gently sway’st
The wiry concord that mine ear confounds,
Do I envy those jacks that nimble leap
To kiss the tender inward of thy hand,
Whilst my poor lips, which should that harvest reap,
At the wood’s boldness by thee blushing stand!
To be so tickled, they would change their state
And situation with those dancing chips,
O’er whom thy fingers walk with gentle gait,
Making dead wood more blest than living lips.
Since saucy jacks so happy are in this,
Give them thy fingers, me thy lips to kiss.

Brett Marcias performed Sonnet 109 at the Federal Hall.

O, never say that I was false of heart,
Though absence seem’d my flame to qualify.
As easy might I from myself depart
As from my soul, which in thy breast doth lie:
That is my home of love: if I have ranged,
Like him that travels I return again,
Just to the time, not with the time exchanged,
So that myself bring water for my stain.
Never believe, though in my nature reign’d
All frailties that besiege all kinds of blood,
That it could so preposterously be stain’d,
To leave for nothing all thy sum of good;
For nothing this wide universe I call,
Save thou, my rose; in it thou art my all.

Carol Hickey performed Sonnet 30 at John St Chapel.

When to the sessions of sweet silent thought
I summon up remembrance of things past,
I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought,
And with old woes new wail my dear time’s waste:
Then can I drown an eye, unused to flow,
For precious friends hid in death’s dateless night,
And weep afresh love’s long since cancell’d woe,
And moan the expense of many a vanish’d sight:
Then can I grieve at grievances foregone,
And heavily from woe to woe tell o’er
The sad account of fore-bemoaned moan,
Which I new pay as if not paid before.
But if the while I think on thee, dear friend,
All losses are restored and sorrows end.

Linked below is a recording of Carol Hickey performing Sonnet 30 for which the setting was composed by Nick Moore

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Amy Ferrante performed Sonnet 143 at the Playground on Fulton Street.

Lo! as a careful housewife runs to catch
One of her feather’d creatures broke away,
Sets down her babe and makes an swift dispatch
In pursuit of the thing she would have stay,
Whilst her neglected child holds her in chase,
Cries to catch her whose busy care is bent
To follow that which flies before her face,
Not prizing her poor infant’s discontent;
So runn’st thou after that which flies from thee,
Whilst I thy babe chase thee afar behind;
But if thou catch thy hope, turn back to me,
And play the mother’s part, kiss me, be kind:
So will I pray that thou mayst have thy ‘Will,’
If thou turn back, and my loud crying still.

Laura Rikard performed Sonnet 29 at Fulton Street Fish Market.

When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state
And trouble deal heaven with my bootless cries
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured 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.

It was fantastic. Impeccably researched, organized, written. The actors were delightful. And creative. New York never looked better. Thank you for a beautiful urban experience!

Jimmy Roberts (New York, NY)

I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the first-ever New York Sonnet Walk. The rain and overcast sky added to the romance of the day, and the tour of Lower Manhattan was especially impressive. I have worked downtown since 1994 and am quite familiar with Broad and Pearl Streets, but I had no idea about Lovelace’s Tavern, or the cistern, or that crazy Marketfield St. I was a bit concerned about the actor on that street, but she did have a cell phone…
As soon as I got home I took down my book of sonnets and reread every one.

Abby Spilka (New York, NY)

The Sonnet Walk gets a rave from me! What a delight. The spontaneity and inventiveness of the event along with each actor’s very unique gifts were totally appreciated by our entire group!

Lynne Taylor (Los Angeles, NY)

Thank you so much! You brought a group of people together and turned us into a team – wondering who on the street was the next sonnet-reciting treasure. Very nice way to spend an afternoon, really new and exciting and I hope it continues.

Ishah Faith-Janssen (New York, NY)

Great fun on a drizzly Sunday.

Max Vogler (New York, NY)

Wonderful! The sonnets felt so modern. I almost couldn’t believe they hadn’t been re-written into slam poetry or contemporary monologues. I was also delighted that we got to be exposed to the beauties of the Financial District.

Steve Benathan (Brooklyn, NY)

Great experience: in such gloomy and bleak weather beams of light glowed through the poetry recited by “strangers” on the streets of old NYC. Thank you so much.

Roberto Muzzetta (Milan, Italy)

This was so wonderful and original. I enjoyed it very much. Would love to take my high school students on it!

Carol Palermo (New York, NY)

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I feel utterly refreshed in New York City! Beautifully done, exquisite actors and actresses – a delight, a surprise, and so good to HEAR the words – all of them! BRAVO!!!!!

Sally Eberhardt (New York, NY)

Too delightful. The actors, the direction, the settings: all flawless. Thank you.

Jonathan B Lester (New York, NY)

It felt like we were this small, secret society wandering through an ancient version of New York City that only we could see. I really enjoyed reading the descriptions of the historical buildings and places we walked through. The sonnets were wonderful. It was great to hear poetry spoken on the streets of New York City. It was a magical experience and I hope you repeat it again next summer!

Michelle Marie Elliot (New York, NY)

This was absolutely wonderful. Congratulations on a job well done and count me in for next year.

Briel Steinberg (New York, NY)

Great job! Despite the rain, it was a lot of fun! It was fun walking around and seeing the actors in different places while learning about the area. Thanks for a great time.

Michael Block (Mahwah, NJ)

Performed at the Albert Dock

If the dull substance of my flesh were thought,
Injurious distance should not stop my way;
For then despite of space I would be brought,
From limits far remote where thou dost stay.
No matter then although my foot did stand
Upon the farthest earth removed from thee;
For nimble thought can jump both sea and land
As soon as think the place where he would be.
But ah! thought kills me that I am not thought,
To leap large lengths of miles when thou art gone,
But that so much of earth and water wrought
I must attend time’s leisure with my moan,
Receiving nought by elements so slow
But heavy tears, badges of either’s woe.

Sonnet 44

Performed in Chavasse Park with thanks to Liverpool One

Who will believe my verse in time to come,
If it were fill’d with your most high deserts?
Though yet, heaven knows, it is but as a tomb
Which hides your life and shows not half your parts.
If I could write the beauty of your eyes
And in fresh numbers number all your graces,
The age to come would say ‘This poet lies:
Such heavenly touches ne’er touch’d earthly faces.’
So should my papers yellow’d with their age
Be scorn’d like old men of less truth than tongue,
And your true rights be term’d a poet’s rage
And stretched metre of an antique song:
But were some child of yours alive that time,
You should live twice; in it and in my rhyme.

Sonnet 17

Performed at The Bluecoat

Some glory in their birth, some in their skill,
Some in their wealth, some in their bodies’ force,
Some in their garments, though new-fangled ill,
Some in their hawks and hounds, some in their horse;
And every humour hath his adjunct pleasure,
Wherein it finds a joy above the rest:
But these particulars are not my measure;
All these I better in one general best.
Thy love is better than high birth to me,
Richer than wealth, prouder than garments’ cost,
Of more delight than hawks or horses be;
And having thee, of all men’s pride I boast:
Wretched in this alone, that thou mayst take
All this away and me most wretched make.

Sonnet 91

Performed in Henry Street

Accuse me thus: that I have scanted all
Wherein I should your great deserts repay,
Forgot upon your dearest love to call,
Whereto all bonds do tie me day by day;
That I have frequent been with unknown minds
And given to time your own dear-purchased right
That I have hoisted sail to all the winds
Which should transport me farthest from your sight.
Book both my wilfulness and errors down
And on just proof surmise accumulate;
Bring me within the level of your frown,
But shoot not at me in your waken’d hate;
Since my appeal says I did strive to prove
The constancy and virtue of your love.

Sonnet 117

Performed in Wolstenholme Square

O, never say that I was false of heart,
Though absence seem’d my flame to qualify.
As easy might I from myself depart
As from my soul, which in thy breast doth lie:
That is my home of love: if I have ranged,
Like him that travels I return again,
Just to the time, not with the time exchanged,
So that myself bring water for my stain.
Never believe, though in my nature reign’d
All frailties that besiege all kinds of blood,
That it could so preposterously be stain’d,
To leave for nothing all thy sum of good;
For nothing this wide universe I call,
Save thou, my rose; in it thou art my all.

Sonnet 109

Performed at the The Art Organisation of Liverpool – International Gallery

Since I left you, mine eye is in my mind;
And that which governs me to go about
Doth part his function and is partly blind,
Seems seeing, but effectually is out;
For it no form delivers to the heart
Of bird of flower, or shape, which it doth latch:
Of his quick objects hath the mind no part,
Nor his own vision holds what it doth catch:
For if it see the rudest or gentlest sight,
The most sweet favour or deformed’st creature,
The mountain or the sea, the day or night,
The crow or dove, it shapes them to your feature:
Incapable of more, replete with you,
My most true mind thus makes mine eye untrue.

Sonnet 113

Hannah has very kindly allowed us to post a recording of the Sonnet which you can listen to below

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Performed at the top of Seel Street outside Nice ‘N’ Naughty

The expense of spirit in a waste of shame
Is lust in action; and till action, lust
Is perjured, murderous, bloody, full of blame,
Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust,
Enjoy’d no sooner but despised straight,
Past reason hunted, and no sooner had
Past reason hated, as a swallow’d bait
On purpose laid to make the taker mad;
Mad in pursuit and in possession so;
Had, having, and in quest to have, extreme;
A bliss in proof, and proved, a very woe;
Before, a joy proposed; behind, a dream.
All this the world well knows; yet none knows well
To shun the heaven that leads men to this hell.

Sonnet 129

Performed in St Lukes – The Bombed Out Church

Music to hear, why hear’st thou music sadly?
Sweets with sweets war not, joy delights in joy.
Why lovest thou that which thou receivest not gladly,
Or else receivest with pleasure thine annoy?
If the true concord of well-tuned sounds,
By unions married, do offend thine ear,
They do but sweetly chide thee, who confounds
In singleness the parts that thou shouldst bear.
Mark how one string, sweet husband to another,
Strikes each in each by mutual ordering,
Resembling sire and child and happy mother
Who all in one, one pleasing note do sing:
Whose speechless song, being many, seeming one,
Sings this to thee: ‘thou single wilt prove none.’

Sonnet 8