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The start or end of China Sea
With time can show a place to be
To sunrise: hunger satisfied.
Join Olaf II, a man who died
Place first again and wings are mine!
Now hush, and I'll enjoy my wine.

Please explain these curious couplets.

HINTS:

The title is a quote. Finish the line.
Although the rhyme is in couplets, the lines should be read as a whole. Or a line at a time. The first line uses cluing similar to a cryptic crossword.

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  • $\begingroup$ The title is from Shakespeare's famous Sonnet 18 AKA "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day..." $\endgroup$
    – feelinferrety
    Sep 19, 2017 at 13:45

1 Answer 1

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The start of end of China Sea

a - 'a' means start (as in A to Z) and is the end/s of China Sea

With time can show a place to be

at - 't' for time and at is where you are

To sunrise: hunger satisfied

ate - 'e' as the sun rises in the East and hunger gone

Join Olaf II, a man who died

late - 'l' is second letter of Olaf and a person passed away is late

Place first again and wings are mine!

alate - 'a' is first and alate means having winglike extensions

Now hush, and I'll enjoy my wine.

palate - 'p' is a musical term to play softly (pianissimo) and I hope you savour the wine (perhaps from neighbouring vineyards) with your palate!

The title line continues

thou grow'st - as in the words of this rhyme.

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    $\begingroup$ Congratulations! I did a couple of puzzles like this some months ago but in the opposite direction. For some reason people found those easier to solve. I will indeed raise a glass Dézaley in your honor. Santé! $\endgroup$
    – Hugh Meyers
    Sep 21, 2017 at 8:59

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