Thomas Campion - Follow Thy Fair Sun

Song Meaning

This poem paints a stark picture of unrequited devotion, casting the speaker as a "black unhappy shadow" perpetually trailing a radiant "fair sun." The initial lines immediately establish a dramatic contrast: the shadow's inherent darkness against the beloved's luminous nature. This isn't just a simple metaphor; it's a declaration of an almost cosmic imbalance, where one being is "made all of light" while the other is "black as night." The central tension lies in the shadow's relentless pursuit despite its "disgraced" state and the beloved's heavenly "placement." The lyrics suggest a painful awareness of this disparity, as the shadow's own "light" is "depriveth" by the beloved's brilliance. Yet, the imperative to "follow" is repeated, highlighting a fated, almost masochistic adherence to this unbridgeable distance. The beloved's light "reviveth" the world, a power that only seems to emphasize the shadow's own lack of vitality. The most striking aspect of the craft is the persistent personification of the sun and shadow, imbuing them with agency and a dramatic, almost tragic relationship. The shadow's "blackness" is not just a state of being but a condition that can only be altered by the beloved's "kind beams." This creates a powerful sense of dependency, where the shadow's very identity and potential for change are contingent on the sun's grace. The poem also introduces a sense of urgency with the warning of a "luckless night" that will "dim all her light," suggesting that even the beloved's radiance is not eternal, a fact the shadow "divineth." Ultimately, the poem's effectiveness stems from its unflinching portrayal of this one-sided adoration and its exploration of fate. The final stanza solidifies the idea that this dynamic is ordained: "The Sun must have his shade." The shadow's persistence, even in being "disdained," speaks to a profound, albeit sorrowful, acceptance of its role. The concluding line, "The Sun still proved, the shadow still disdained," leaves the reader with a lingering sense of the shadow's enduring, unacknowledged presence.