Sonnet · Nature

Sonnet 15: When I consider every thing that grows

by William Shakespeare

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1When I consider every thing that grows

2Holds in perfection but a little moment,

3That this huge stage presenteth nought but shows

4Whereon the stars in secret influence comment;

5When I perceive that men as plants increase,

6Cheered and checked even by the self-same sky,

7Vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease,

8And wear their brave state out of memory;

9Then the conceit of this inconstant stay

10Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,

11Where wasteful Time debateth with decay

12To change your day of youth to sullied night,

13 And all in war with Time for love of you,

14 As he takes from you, I engraft you new.

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“Sonnet 15: When I consider every thing that grows” by William Shakespeare — quilloak.com/poems/sonnet-15

Quick facts

Poem: Sonnet 15: When I consider every thing that grows
Poet: William Shakespeare
Length: 14 lines
Form: Sonnet
Themes: Nature, Childhood, Love

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Measured from the text on this page, not copied from a summary. Counts are approximate: syllables and rhymes come from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary, which models General American English, so dialect, older pronunciation, and performance can all change what you hear.

Shape: 14 lines · one 14-line stanza
Line length: Mostly 10-syllable lines (pentameter length).

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Author record: William Shakespeare1564–1616
Source record: PoetryDBSonnet 15: When I consider every thing that grows by william-shakespeare, PoetryDB transcription
Display decision: Full text · United States · reviewed 2026-07-18
Publication record: Not recorded in the imported source
Text fingerprint: SHA-256 d7a5e087170fe675…
Editorial handling: Whitespace and stanza breaks normalized for web display; no material wording change recorded.

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Sonnet Nature Childhood Love

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