Sonnet 143

You chase after a lover who avoids you, ignoring my devotion as a mother ignores her child to catch a runaway bird.

Original

Modern

1 Lo as a careful huswife runs to catch,

Look, as a careful housewife runs to catch,

2 One of her feathered creatures broke away,

One of her birds that has gotten loose,

3 Sets down her babe and makes all swift dispatch

Sets down her baby and moves with all speed

4 In pursuit of the thing she would have stay:

In pursuit of the thing she wants to keep:

5 Whilst her neglected child holds her in chase,

While her neglected child runs after her,

6 Cries to catch her whose busy care is bent,

Crying out trying to reach the mother whose busy care is bent,

7 To follow that which flies before her face:

To follow that which flies in front of her:

8 Not prizing her poor infant’s discontent;

Not caring about her poor baby's unhappiness;

Volta The volta shifts from the comparison (lines 1–8) to direct address to the beloved (lines 9–14), making the analogy personal and urgent.

9 So run’st thou after that which flies from thee,

So you run after that which runs away from you,

10 Whilst I thy babe chase thee afar behind,

While I, your baby, chase you from far behind,

11 But if thou catch thy hope turn back to me:

But if you catch what you hope for, turn back to me:

12 And play the mother’s part, kiss me, be kind.

And take on the part of a loving parent, embrace me with affection, treat me gently.

13 So will I pray that thou mayst have thy Will,

wordplay: 'Will' as both petition and name

So I will pray that you may have your desires,

Wordplay: “Will”

Pun on the speaker's name; also means 'desire' or 'sexual pleasure.' She may have his Will if he gives it up entirely.

14 If thou turn back and my loud crying still.

If you turn back and stop my loud crying.

Gender and Inversion

The speaker, usually masculine, identifies himself as the neglected child (feminine role) while the beloved woman is the 'careful huswife' (maternal, feminine). This gender-play was bold in Shakespeare's time. The speaker feminizes himself through submission and emotional exposure, reversing conventional power dynamics and gendering of love.

The Pun on 'Will'

Line 13's 'pray that thou mayst have thy Will' is almost certainly a pun on the speaker's own name (William Shakespeare). He prays for her happiness, even if 'Will' (the speaker, or his will/desire) must be sacrificed. It is a final, anguished joke—his name becomes the price of her contentment.

If this happened today

Like watching someone chase an emotionally unavailable crush while their devoted partner sits at home, ignored. The emotional roles are inverted—the pursuer is chasing the wrong person, while the truly loyal person is left behind, neglected.

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