Indeed This Very Love (Sonnet 12)

Song Meaning

This sonnet frames love not as an inherent possession, but as a borrowed grace, a reflection of another's affection. The narrator begins by boasting of a love so potent it's visually striking, a "ruby large enow" that signals "the inner cost." Yet, this outward display of worth is immediately qualified. The narrator confesses that this very love, their "all my worth, to the uttermost," would be unlovable if not for the example set by the beloved. It's a profound admission: their capacity to love is contingent on being loved first. The central tension lies in the narrator's struggle to claim love as their own. They "cannot speak / Of love even, as a good thing of my own." This isn't a humble brag; it's a deep-seated insecurity that their own feelings are merely echoes. The beloved's "earnest eyes" meeting theirs initiated this "love called love," positioning the beloved as the source and teacher. The narrator's soul, described as "faint and weak," has been "snatched up" and elevated, implying a rescue and a bestowal of status. The most striking craft element is the persistent negation and qualification of the narrator's own agency in love. Phrases like "I should not love withal, unless that thou / Hadst set me an example" and "I cannot speak / Of love even, as a good thing of my own" highlight this dependence. The final lines, "And that I love... Is by thee only, whom I love alone," solidify this idea, suggesting their love is a direct consequence of the beloved's existence and prior affection. The use of "alone" at the end is particularly potent, emphasizing the singular, exclusive nature of this dependency. This intricate dance of dependence and devotion makes the lyrics resonate. The narrator's vulnerability in admitting their love is a borrowed light, rather than an innate flame, creates a powerful emotional landscape. It's a love that acknowledges its own fragility and finds its strength not in self-sufficiency, but in the profound connection and validation received from the beloved. The sonnet captures a specific, almost breathtaking, humility in the face of overwhelming affection.