The first sonnet by Shakespeare describes a vision of love. The narrator could possibly be a women in this sonnet putting into consideration of how women today see love, or at least want to see love. Everlasting, flourishing, etc. The sonnet talks about how love has no time limit, that it is an "ever-fixed mark" (Shakespeare, 5).
The second sonnet completely opposes Shakespeare's. Love is now distant to this narrator. Although it was once there, with many different lovers at that. The narrator describes being lonely and starts to reminisce of time past times. The narrator can pass for a female. It could possibly be the descriptive tone of the sonnet that would deem the narrator a female.
The two sonnets contrast each other's ideas. Although I do not support Shakespeare's sonnet. Love is not always everlasting and in some situations, it is timed. The sonnet may be portrayed through a feminine POV, I can relate to this sonnet more than Shakespeare's. It's usually how many heartbroken people feel like.
Good observations about the sonnets. So in Millay's sonnet love is presented as distant and unattainable, while in Shakespeare's sonnet it is presented as attainable and constant. It is interesting that you say that in Shakespeare's sonnet the speaker is a woman...
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