1 When most I wink then do mine eyes best see,
When I sleep most deeply, then my eyes see best, It's when I'm asleep that my eyes actually work properly, i see you clearest in my dreams
2 For all the day they view things unrespected,
For all day they gaze upon things unworthy of notice, Because during the day, my eyes just wander over stuff that doesn't matter, daytime vision is pointless
3 But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee,
But when I sleep, in dreams they look upon you, But the moment I fall asleep, all they want to see is you, in dreams you're all i see
4 And darkly bright, are bright in dark directed.
And dark with brightness, they shine bright in the darkness, and somehow they see so clearly in that darkness, they're radiant, darkness becomes light when i see you A paradox: the darkness becomes bright through the beloved's presence; the oxymoron 'darkly bright' captures dream-vision's supernatural clarity.
5 Then thou whose shadow shadows doth make bright
Then you, whose phantom image makes shadows luminous, you—the dream of you—turns darkness into light, your dream image glows in the dark Another paradox: the beloved's shadow (dream-image) makes literal shadows bright—transcending the logic of light and dark.
6 How would thy shadow’s form, form happy show,
How would your shadowed form show forth such brightness, How does your dream-image manage to look so happy and radiant, your shadow shines brighter than reality The beloved's dream-form would manifest happiness; 'form' appears twice, emphasizing the paradox of substance and shadow.
7 To the clear day with thy much clearer light,
To daylight itself, with your far clearer radiance, compared to actual daylight, your dream-light is so much brighter, brighter than real sun
8 When to unseeing eyes thy shade shines so!
When to blind waking eyes your dream-shadow glows so! even though my waking eyes can't really see anything, your phantom still shines, i can see you even with blind eyes The paradox peaks: even 'unseeing' waking eyes perceive the beloved's dream-shade as radiant.
Volta The volta shifts from describing the paradox of dream-vision to asking the impossible question: what if waking sight could match the clarity of dream?
9 How would (I say) mine eyes be blessed made,
How (I ask) would my eyes be made blessed, So how much more blessed could my eyes be, what if i could see you while awake
10 By looking on thee in the living day,
By seeing you in the light of day, if I could actually look at you when the sun is up, seeing you in daylight
11 When in dead night thy fair imperfect shade,
When in deep night your beautiful, imperfect phantom, when at night I have only this flawed, dreamlike version of you, your shadow is imperfect but beautiful 'Imperfect shade' admits the dream is flawed, yet paradoxically precious—the only access to the beloved.
12 Through heavy sleep on sightless eyes doth stay!
Through heavy sleep rests upon my blinded eyes! stays lodged in my sleeping, unseeing gaze! you linger in my blind sleeping eyes
13 All days are nights to see till I see thee, The emotional centre of the absence sequence
All days are darkness to me until I see you, Every day feels like night without you, days are nothing without you The couplet resolves the paradox: day/night lose meaning in the absence of the beloved.
14 And nights bright days when dreams do show thee me.
And nights become bright days when dreams reveal you to me. but nights turn into daylight when dreams bring you to me. dreams make night bright