How sweet and lovely dost thou make the shame
Which, like a canker in the fragrant rose,
Doth spot the beauty of thy budding name!
O! in what sweets dost thou thy sins enclose.
That tongue that tells the story of thy days,
Making lascivious comments on thy sport,
Cannot dispraise, but in a kind of praise;
Naming thy name blesses an ill report.
O! what a mansion have those vices got
Which for their habitation chose out thee,
Where beauty’s veil doth cover every blot
And all things turns to fair that eyes can see!
     Take heed, dear heart, of this large privilege;
     The hardest knife ill-used doth lose his edge.

Analysis

In Sonnet 95, the poet warns his beloved that concealing bad actions beneath a beautiful exterior can only work for so long.

Will accuses his lover of defending the flaw ruining their reputation, like a garden pest. Its easy to cover up your sins with such a sweet exterior! He who makes accusations of wild lust somehow manages to make it sound like praise: any association with Will’s lover makes even bad things look good. He likens these vices to bad people living in a beautiful house. External beauty veils evils in a coating of goodness. But Will warns that such beauty is a great privilege not to be abused it, lest it stop working, like a knife dulled by misuse.

Will’s Wordplay

A “canker” is not just a sore in your mouth– this time it refers to a common garden worm or maggot. The canker that likes roses is particularly damaging, not revealing itself until the bud opens, when the flower is already rotted. Where’s the insecticide?

Gold Coast Townhouse, 18 West 11th Street

“At first, navigating Greenwich Village may prove a little difficult, particularly at the spot where West Fourth Street crosses West Tenth Street. The neighborhood was developed before the city’s grid plan, a little trivia that makes the area all the more charming. The heart of Greenwich Village is Washington Square Park. The north side of the park is lined with landmark townhouses. Lower Fifth Avenue, marked by the iconic arch, is known as ‘The Gold Coast,’ home to prewar co-ops with grand lobbies, high ceilings, and doormen clad in the finest attire.” [1]

About This Town House

“Perfectly perched on the most desirable of all Central Greenwich Village Gold Coast blocks, this remarkable 22ft wide townhouse nestled amongst a row of seven elegant, brick, Greek Revival townhouses, is delivered with full, detailed Landmarks-approved plans to create a spectacular contemporary showpiece with around 6,500sf of living space over six floors including an elevator that services every floor…

The plans modify the existing structure completely, including superb living spaces that lead out onto the picturesque south-facing 30ft deep garden that contains one of the most beautiful specimens of a Japanese Katsura tree anywhere in Manhattan as well as exposure to some of the most iconic townhouses in Greenwich Village. The rear glass faade houses a double-height ceiling living space and incorporates sleek metal fins for privacy. The cellar is designed to have 13 foot tall ceilings, ensuring that the volume on all floors is impressive. The glass enclosed rooftop penthouse boasts surprisingly captivating views and can accommodate a rooftop lawn. A generator on the roof is on standby in the event of a power outage.

Originally built by Henry Brevoort Jr. in 1845 as one of four row houses, this home was completely rebuilt in 1978 in a modernist style with a distinctive exterior and large picture windows while retaining certain historical elements. The current structure is remarkably solid and is focused around the concept of an open central staircase (that is flooded with light from a central skylight) from which the rooms unfold and flow on multiple levels.” [2]

References

1. http://www.mironproperties.com/Greenwich-Village
2. http://realestate.nytimes.com/sales/detail/12436-B1A3699AFCD22C5A3DA49B2B217BE6E73619DEEA/18-W-11th-St-NEW-YORK-NY-10011

ACTOR – Susan Heyward

Bio coming soon

DIRECTOR – Lizzie Ford-Madrid

Lizzie Ford-Madrid is a photographer and filmmaker, who loves to tell stories. She graduated from Loyola University New Orleans with a B.A. in Photojournalism and has had work featured in City Limits, InvadeNola, and Timeout New York.
While she loves working as a photographer, she hopes to continue pursuing narrative filmmaking, Sonnet 95 will be her third short film.
She can be found on Vimeo and Instagram at (@usepenandpaper)