“Sonnet 116“ by William Shakespeare (1609)

This famous sonnet explores love by defining what it is and what it is not. Although the sonnet typically evokes romantic love, “Sonnet 116” instead describes all kinds of love—romantic, platonic, and familial. The poem argues that true love is not subject to the erosion of time, enduring long after all other feelings. Because of this, love is a guiding light, shining a path through the darkness.

“Death Be Not Proud“ by John Donne (1633)

Donne’s sonnet, part of a series known as the Holy Sonnets, is a direct address to death, downplaying its power by comparing it to a short sleep between earthly life and eternal afterlife. Donne, a poet and a Christian cleric, wants to demystify death, arguing that it is nothing to fear. Like Shakespeare, Donne departs from traditional sonnet subjects, composing a devotional lyric that explores Christian beliefs.

“America“ by Claude McKay (1921)

This 20th century take on the sonnet demonstrates how the form has evolved over time. McKay, a Jamaican American poet, works through his feelings of love and resentment towards the United States, a nation that enables his oppression. Written during the Harlem Renaissance, "America" scorns the might and enduring force of the US, predicting its ultimate fall from power with delight.