"Remember me!"

Recently watched the excellent Maureen Lipman documentary about the ageing process and memory. I decided I should give myself some kind of memory challenge and thought it might be fun to memorise as many of Shakespeare's sonnets as possible, starting with the ones with which I am already familiar and working on from there. They say it's also good to read blank verse aloud because it tickles your synapses, so it's two birds avec la seule pierre, eh?

Today, realising it was Will's birthday (and deathday too) I made a start with Number 73(below), using the fabulous Don Paterson commentary edition. Have still remembered after two hours; now need to retest at 24 hours and 30 days!

That time of year thou mayst in me behold
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.
In me thou see'st the twilight of such day
As after sunset fadeth in the west;
Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death's second self, that seals up all in rest.
In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire,
That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,
As the death-bed, whereon it must expire,
Consumed with that which it was nourish'd by.
This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong,
To love that well, which thou must leave ere long.