That time of year (Pattern Blogs)

"This thou perceivest, which makes thy love more strong,/ To love that well which thou must leave ere long."

This poem by William Shakespeare is a sonnet, which has three quatrains followed by a couplet. The quote above is the couplet at the end. In the first quatrain the image of fall is emphasized in the line, "yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang." The second sunset is describing the twilight just before night. The image of the third quatrain is of death. These images all seem to support the ending of life and the loss of hope. However, based on the final couplet and the 4th question in the book, I realize that he is addressing his lover. He is saying that since death will come soon, their love should be even stronger. They must love each other now, before death comes.