Sir Thomas Wyatt

Sir Thomas Wyatt was an English poet and diplomat of the early 16th century. He is credited with introducing the sonnet form into English literature, and his poems often explore themes of love, courtly life, and personal disillusionment. Biography ↓More ↓

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Sir Thomas Wyatt

I Find No Peace

I find no peace, and all my war is done. I fear and hope. I burn and freeze like ice. I fly above the wind, yet can I not arise; And nought I have, and all the world I season. That loseth nor locketh holdeth me in prison And holdeth me not--yet can I scape no wise-- Nor letteth me live nor die at my device, And yet of death it giveth me occasion. Without eyen I see, and without tongue I plain. I desire to perish, and yet I ask health. I love another, and thus I hate myself. I feed me in sorrow and laugh in all my pain; Likewise displeaseth me both life and death, And my delight is causer of this strife.

Sir Thomas Wyatt

Unstable Dream

Unstable dream, according to the place, Be steadfast once, or else at least be true. By tasted sweetness make me not to rue The sudden loss of thy false feignèd grace. By good respect in such a dangerous case Thou broughtest not her into this tossing mew But madest my sprite live, my care to renew, My body in tempest her succour to embrace. The body dead, the sprite had his desire, Painless was th'one, th'other in delight. Why then, alas, did it not keep it right, Returning, to leap into the fire? And where it was at wish, it could not remain, Such mocks of dreams they turn to deadly pain.

Farewell Love and All Thy Laws Forever

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Farewell Love and All Thy Laws Forever

Farewell love and all thy laws forever; Thy baited hooks shall tangle me no more. Senec and Plato call me from thy lore To perfect wealth, my wit for to endeavour. In blind error when I did persever, Thy sharp repulse, that pricketh aye so sore, Hath taught me to set in trifles no store And scape forth, since liberty is lever. Therefore farewell; go trouble younger hearts And in me claim no more authority. With idle youth go use thy property And thereon spend thy many brittle darts, For hitherto though I have lost all my time, Me lusteth no lenger rotten boughs to climb.

Biography

Sir Thomas Wyatt was an English poet and courtier born around 1503. He served King Henry VIII in various diplomatic roles, including assignments in France and Italy. His time in Italy exposed him to the Petrarchan sonnet, which he adapted into English, altering the rhyme scheme and often ending with a couplet. Wyatt's verse frequently addresses the complexities of love, using imagery of hunting, nature, and the sea to convey desire, frustration, and loss. His language is notable for its directness and conversational rhythms, capturing the tensions of life at court. Many of his poems reflect a world of political intrigue and personal risk, themes that mirror his own brushes with imprisonment on charges of adultery with Anne Boleyn. Among his most acclaimed works are 'Whoso List to Hunt' and 'They Flee from Me,' which showcase his skill at blending personal emotion with classical forms. Although much of his work circulated in manuscript during his lifetime, it later appeared in the influential anthology 'Tottel's Miscellany.' His innovations laid the groundwork for the sonnet sequences of Shakespeare and Spenser. Wyatt died in 1542, leaving a legacy as a founder of modern English lyric poetry.

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