The little love-god lying once asleep (Sonnet 154) by William Shakespeare
1564 – 1616
The little love-god lying once asleep
Laid by his side his heart-inflaming brand,
Whilst many nymphs that vow’d chaste life to keep
Came tripping by; but in her maiden hand
The fairest votary took up that fire
Which many legions of true hearts had warm’d;
And so the general of hot desire
What sleeping by a virgin hand disarm’d.
This brand she quenched in a cool well by,
Which from Love’s fire took heat perpetual,
Growing a bath and healthful remedy
For men diseased; but I, my mistress’ thrall,
Came there for cure, and this by that I prove,
Love’s fire heats water, water cools not love.
About
William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist
[{"id":6549,"link":"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/2026\/03\/17\/word-of-the-day-adversity\/","name":"word-of-the-day-adversity","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Word-of-the-Day-Adversity.png","alt":"Word of the Day Adversity"},"title":"Word of the Day Adversity","postMeta":[],"author":{"name":"Admin","link":"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/author\/admin\/"},"date":"Mar 17, 2026","dateGMT":"2026-03-17 22:07:27","modifiedDate":"2026-03-17 22:08:28","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-03-17 22:08:28","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"open","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/vocabulary\/word-of-the-day\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Word of the Day<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/vocabulary\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Vocabulary<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/vocabulary\/word-of-the-day\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Word of the Day<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/vocabulary\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Vocabulary<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":"<a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/adversity\/' rel='post_tag'>adversity<\/a><a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/word-of-the-day\/' rel='post_tag'>word of the day<\/a>"},"readTime":{"min":3,"sec":17},"status":"publish","excerpt":""},{"id":6558,"link":"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/2026\/03\/17\/ode-on-adversity\/","name":"ode-on-adversity","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"Ode on Adversity","postMeta":[],"author":{"name":"Admin","link":"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/author\/admin\/"},"date":"Mar 17, 2026","dateGMT":"2026-03-17 21:32:27","modifiedDate":"2026-03-17 21:32:37","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-03-17 21:32:37","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"open","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/adversity-poems\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Adversity Poems<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/poems\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Poems<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/emerald-book-club\/poetry\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Poetry<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/adversity-poems\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Adversity Poems<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/poems\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Poems<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/emerald-book-club\/poetry\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Poetry<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":"<a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/adversity\/' rel='post_tag'>adversity<\/a><a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/adversity-poems\/' rel='post_tag'>adversity poems<\/a><a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/poems\/' rel='post_tag'>poems<\/a><a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/poems-about-advrsity\/' rel='post_tag'>poems about advrsity<\/a>"},"readTime":{"min":1,"sec":42},"status":"publish","excerpt":""},{"id":6556,"link":"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/2026\/03\/17\/hymn-to-adversity\/","name":"hymn-to-adversity","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"Hymn To Adversity","postMeta":[],"author":{"name":"Admin","link":"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/author\/admin\/"},"date":"Mar 17, 2026","dateGMT":"2026-03-17 21:29:17","modifiedDate":"2026-03-17 21:29:25","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-03-17 21:29:25","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"open","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/adversity-poems\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Adversity Poems<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/poems\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Poems<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/emerald-book-club\/poetry\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Poetry<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/adversity-poems\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Adversity Poems<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/poems\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Poems<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/emerald-book-club\/poetry\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Poetry<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":"<a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/adversity-poems\/' rel='post_tag'>adversity poems<\/a><a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/poems\/' rel='post_tag'>poems<\/a><a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/poetry\/' rel='post_tag'>poetry<\/a>"},"readTime":{"min":1,"sec":31},"status":"publish","excerpt":""},{"id":6554,"link":"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/2026\/03\/17\/ambition-over-adversity\/","name":"ambition-over-adversity","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"Ambition Over Adversity","postMeta":[],"author":{"name":"Admin","link":"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/author\/admin\/"},"date":"Mar 17, 2026","dateGMT":"2026-03-17 21:26:53","modifiedDate":"2026-03-17 21:27:05","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-03-17 21:27:05","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"open","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/adversity-poems\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Adversity Poems<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/poems\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Poems<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/emerald-book-club\/poetry\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Poetry<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/adversity-poems\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Adversity Poems<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/poems\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Poems<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/emerald-book-club\/poetry\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Poetry<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":"<a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/adversity-poems\/' rel='post_tag'>adversity poems<\/a><a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/poems\/' rel='post_tag'>poems<\/a><a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/poems-about-adversity\/' rel='post_tag'>poems about adversity<\/a><a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/poetry\/' rel='post_tag'>poetry<\/a><a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/tupac-shakur\/' rel='post_tag'>tupac shakur<\/a>"},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":9},"status":"publish","excerpt":""},{"id":6550,"link":"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/2026\/03\/17\/overcome-adversity-by-damien-smith\/","name":"overcome-adversity-by-damien-smith","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"Overcome Adversity by Damien Smith","postMeta":[],"author":{"name":"Admin","link":"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/author\/admin\/"},"date":"Mar 17, 2026","dateGMT":"2026-03-17 21:11:34","modifiedDate":"2026-03-17 21:11:42","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-03-17 21:11:42","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"open","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/poems\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Poems<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/emerald-book-club\/poetry\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Poetry<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/poems\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Poems<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/emerald-book-club\/poetry\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Poetry<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":"<a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/overcome-adversity\/' rel='post_tag'>Overcome Adversity<\/a><a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/poems\/' rel='post_tag'>poems<\/a><a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/poems-by-damien-smith\/' rel='post_tag'>poems by Damien Smith<\/a><a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/poetry\/' rel='post_tag'>poetry<\/a>"},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":35},"status":"publish","excerpt":""},{"id":6488,"link":"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/2026\/03\/10\/word-of-the-day-affirm\/","name":"word-of-the-day-affirm","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Word-of-the-Day-Affirm-1.png","alt":"Word of the Day Affirm"},"title":"Word of the Day Affirm","postMeta":[],"author":{"name":"Admin","link":"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/author\/admin\/"},"date":"Mar 10, 2026","dateGMT":"2026-03-10 18:02:14","modifiedDate":"2026-03-17 21:48:22","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-03-17 21:48:22","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"open","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/emerald-book-club\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Emerald Book Club<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/vocabulary\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Vocabulary<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/vocabulary\/word-of-the-day\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Word of the Day<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/emerald-book-club\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Emerald Book Club<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/vocabulary\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Vocabulary<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/category\/vocabulary\/word-of-the-day\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Word of the Day<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":"<a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/affirm\/' rel='post_tag'>affirm<\/a><a href='https:\/\/emeraldbookclub.org\/tag\/word-of-the-day\/' rel='post_tag'>word of the day<\/a>"},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":0},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Words shape how we express belief, support one another, and reinforce truth. Today\u2019s Word of the Day is affirm, a powerful verb that reflects encouragement, confidence, and clarity. At Emerald Book Club, where conversation, literature, and community intersect, the act of affirmation plays an important role in how we support readers, writers, and thinkers.\n\nAffirming ideas, values, and voices helps strengthen understanding and builds a culture of respect and collaboration."}]
0 Comments