Sonnet 135

Song Meaning

This sonnet plays a clever game with the word "will," using it to refer to both desire and the name "Will" (likely William Shakespeare himself). The narrator is essentially pleading with their beloved, who already possesses "Will" in abundance, to accept "my will" – their own desire and person – into her vast "Will." It’s a witty, almost desperate, plea for acceptance and inclusion. The central tension arises from the beloved's immense capacity for "Will" – her desires and perhaps her name – which seems to leave no room for the narrator's own "will." The narrator feels overlooked, questioning why "will in others" is accepted while their own "fair acceptance" is denied. This creates a sense of unrequited longing, masked by sophisticated wordplay. The most striking craft element is the relentless repetition and punning on "will." The lyrics suggest the beloved is "rich in 'Will,'" so much so that adding "one will of mine" would only enhance her already "large 'Will.'" This linguistic gymnastics highlights the narrator's obsession and the beloved's perceived indifference or abundance, making the plea both humorous and poignant. What makes these lyrics hit so hard is the underlying vulnerability beneath the intellectual wordplay. The narrator uses wit as a shield, but the core message is a simple, human desire to be seen and accepted. The sonnet’s structure, building to the final couplet's direct command, "Think all but one, and me in that one 'Will,'" underscores the intensity of this longing for a singular, ultimate acceptance.