Shakespeare's Sonnets - Free Download
All 154 sonnets by William Shakespeare, each with a sonnet number and the full text (array of lines). Contains 154 records. Download in Excel, CSV, PDF formats.
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Showing 154
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| Lines | Number |
|---|---|
| From fairest creatures we desire increase,, That thereby beauty's rose might never die,, But as the riper should by time decease,, His tender heir might bear his memory:, But thou contracted to thine… | 1 |
| When forty winters shall besiege thy brow,, And dig deep trenches in thy beauty's field,, Thy youth's proud livery so gazed on now,, Will be a tatter'd weed of small worth held:, Then being asked, whe… | 2 |
| Look in thy glass and tell the face thou viewest, Now is the time that face should form another;, Whose fresh repair if now thou not renewest,, Thou dost beguile the world, unbless some mother., For w… | 3 |
| Unthrifty loveliness, why dost thou spend, Upon thy self thy beauty's legacy?, Nature's bequest gives nothing, but doth lend,, And being frank she lends to those are free:, Then, beauteous niggard, wh… | 4 |
| Those hours, that with gentle work did frame, The lovely gaze where every eye doth dwell,, Will play the tyrants to the very same, And that unfair which fairly doth excel;, For never-resting time lead… | 5 |
| Then let not winter's ragged hand deface,, In thee thy summer, ere thou be distill'd:, Make sweet some vial; treasure thou some place, With beauty's treasure ere it be self-kill'd., That use is not fo… | 6 |
| Lo! in the orient when the gracious light, Lifts up his burning head, each under eye, Doth homage to his new-appearing sight,, Serving with looks his sacred majesty;, And having climb'd the steep-up h… | 7 |
| Music to hear, why hear'st thou music sadly?, Sweets with sweets war not, joy delights in joy:, Why lov'st thou that which thou receiv'st not gladly,, Or else receiv'st with pleasure thine annoy?, If… | 8 |
| Is it for fear to wet a widow's eye,, That thou consum'st thy self in single life?, Ah! if thou issueless shalt hap to die,, The world will wail thee like a makeless wife;, The world will be thy widow… | 9 |
| For shame! deny that thou bear'st love to any,, Who for thy self art so unprovident., Grant, if thou wilt, thou art belov'd of many,, But that thou none lov'st is most evident:, For thou art so posses… | 10 |
| As fast as thou shalt wane, so fast thou grow'st,, In one of thine, from that which thou departest;, And that fresh blood which youngly thou bestow'st,, Thou mayst call thine when thou from youth conv… | 11 |
| When I do count the clock that tells the time,, And see the brave day sunk in hideous night;, When I behold the violet past prime,, And sable curls, all silvered o'er with white;, When lofty trees I s… | 12 |
| O! that you were your self; but, love you are, No longer yours, than you your self here live:, Against this coming end you should prepare,, And your sweet semblance to some other give:, So should that… | 13 |
| Not from the stars do I my judgement pluck;, And yet methinks I have astronomy,, But not to tell of good or evil luck,, Of plagues, of dearths, or seasons' quality;, Nor can I fortune to brief minutes… | 14 |
| When I consider every thing that grows, Holds in perfection but a little moment,, That this huge stage presenteth nought but shows, Whereon the stars in secret influence comment;, When I perceive that… | 15 |
| But wherefore do not you a mightier way, Make war upon this bloody tyrant, Time?, And fortify your self in your decay, With means more blessed than my barren rhyme?, Now stand you on the top of happy… | 16 |
| Who will believe my verse in time to come,, If it were fill'd with your most high deserts?, Though yet heaven knows it is but as a tomb, Which hides your life, and shows not half your parts., If I cou… | 17 |
| Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?, Thou art more lovely and more temperate:, Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,, And summer's lease hath all too short a date:, Sometime too hot the ey… | 18 |
| Devouring Time, blunt thou the lion's paws,, And make the earth devour her own sweet brood;, Pluck the keen teeth from the fierce tiger's jaws,, And burn the long-liv'd phoenix, in her blood;, Make gl… | 19 |
| A woman's face with nature's own hand painted,, Hast thou, the master mistress of my passion;, A woman's gentle heart, but not acquainted, With shifting change, as is false women's fashion:, An eye mo… | 20 |
| So is it not with me as with that Muse,, Stirr'd by a painted beauty to his verse,, Who heaven itself for ornament doth use, And every fair with his fair doth rehearse,, Making a couplement of proud c… | 21 |
| My glass shall not persuade me I am old,, So long as youth and thou are of one date;, But when in thee time's furrows I behold,, Then look I death my days should expiate., For all that beauty that dot… | 22 |
| As an unperfect actor on the stage,, Who with his fear is put beside his part,, Or some fierce thing replete with too much rage,, Whose strength's abundance weakens his own heart;, So I, for fear of t… | 23 |
| Mine eye hath play'd the painter and hath stell'd,, Thy beauty's form in table of my heart;, My body is the frame wherein 'tis held,, And perspective it is best painter's art., For through the painter… | 24 |
| Let those who are in favour with their stars, Of public honour and proud titles boast,, Whilst I, whom fortune of such triumph bars, Unlook'd for joy in that I honour most., Great princes' favourites… | 25 |
| Lord of my love, to whom in vassalage, Thy merit hath my duty strongly knit,, To thee I send this written embassage,, To witness duty, not to show my wit:, Duty so great, which wit so poor as mine, Ma… | 26 |
| Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed,, The dear respose for limbs with travel tir'd;, But then begins a journey in my head, To work my mind, when body's work's expired:, For then my thoughts--from fa… | 27 |
| How can I then return in happy plight,, That am debarre'd the benefit of rest?, When day's oppression is not eas'd by night,, But day by night and night by day oppress'd,, And each, though enemies to… | 28 |
| When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast state,, And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,, And look upon myself, and curse my fate,, Wishing me like to one mo… | 29 |
| When to the sessions of sweet silent thought, I summon up remembrance of things past,, I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought,, And with old woes new wail my dear time's waste:, Then can I drown an… | 30 |
| Thy bosom is endeared with all hearts,, Which I by lacking have supposed dead;, And there reigns Love, and all Love's loving parts,, And all those friends which I thought buried., How many a holy and… | 31 |
| If thou survive my well-contented day,, When that churl Death my bones with dust shall cover, And shalt by fortune once more re-survey, These poor rude lines of thy deceased lover,, Compare them with… | 32 |
| Full many a glorious morning have I seen, Flatter the mountain tops with sovereign eye,, Kissing with golden face the meadows green,, Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy;, Anon permit the bases… | 33 |
| Why didst thou promise such a beauteous day,, And make me travel forth without my cloak,, To let base clouds o'ertake me in my way,, Hiding thy bravery in their rotten smoke?, 'Tis not enough that thr… | 34 |
| No more be griev'd at that which thou hast done:, Roses have thorns, and silver fountains mud:, Clouds and eclipses stain both moon and sun,, And loathsome canker lives in sweetest bud., All men make… | 35 |
| Let me confess that we two must be twain,, Although our undivided loves are one:, So shall those blots that do with me remain,, Without thy help, by me be borne alone., In our two loves there is but o… | 36 |
| As a decrepit father takes delight, To see his active child do deeds of youth,, So I, made lame by Fortune's dearest spite,, Take all my comfort of thy worth and truth;, For whether beauty, birth, or… | 37 |
| How can my muse want subject to invent,, While thou dost breathe, that pour'st into my verse, Thine own sweet argument, too excellent, For every vulgar paper to rehearse?, O! give thy self the thanks,… | 38 |
| O! how thy worth with manners may I sing,, When thou art all the better part of me?, What can mine own praise to mine own self bring?, And what is't but mine own when I praise thee?, Even for this, le… | 39 |
| Take all my loves, my love, yea take them all;, What hast thou then more than thou hadst before?, No love, my love, that thou mayst true love call;, All mine was thine, before thou hadst this more., T… | 40 |
| Those pretty wrongs that liberty commits,, When I am sometime absent from thy heart,, Thy beauty, and thy years full well befits,, For still temptation follows where thou art., Gentle thou art, and th… | 41 |
| That thou hast her it is not all my grief,, And yet it may be said I loved her dearly;, That she hath thee is of my wailing chief,, A loss in love that touches me more nearly., Loving offenders thus I… | 42 |
| When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see,, For all the day they view things unrespected;, But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee,, And darkly bright, are bright in dark directed., Then thou… | 43 |
| If the dull substance of my flesh were thought,, Injurious distance should not stop my way;, For then despite of space I would be brought,, From limits far remote, where thou dost stay., No matter the… | 44 |
| The other two, slight air, and purging fire, Are both with thee, wherever I abide;, The first my thought, the other my desire,, These present-absent with swift motion slide., For when these quicker el… | 45 |
| Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war,, How to divide the conquest of thy sight;, Mine eye my heart thy picture's sight would bar,, My heart mine eye the freedom of that right., My heart doth plead t… | 46 |
| Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took,, And each doth good turns now unto the other:, When that mine eye is famish'd for a look,, Or heart in love with sighs himself doth smother,, With my love'… | 47 |
| How careful was I when I took my way,, Each trifle under truest bars to thrust,, That to my use it might unused stay, From hands of falsehood, in sure wards of trust!, But thou, to whom my jewels trif… | 48 |
| Against that time, if ever that time come,, When I shall see thee frown on my defects,, When as thy love hath cast his utmost sum,, Call'd to that audit by advis'd respects;, Against that time when th… | 49 |
| How heavy do I journey on the way,, When what I seek, my weary travel's end,, Doth teach that ease and that repose to say,, 'Thus far the miles are measured from thy friend!', The beast that bears me,… | 50 |
| Thus can my love excuse the slow offence, Of my dull bearer when from thee I speed:, From where thou art why should I haste me thence?, Till I return, of posting is no need., O! what excuse will my po… | 51 |
| So am I as the rich, whose blessed key,, Can bring him to his sweet up-locked treasure,, The which he will not every hour survey,, For blunting the fine point of seldom pleasure., Therefore are feasts… | 52 |
| What is your substance, whereof are you made,, That millions of strange shadows on you tend?, Since every one, hath every one, one shade,, And you but one, can every shadow lend., Describe Adonis, and… | 53 |
| O! how much more doth beauty beauteous seem, By that sweet ornament which truth doth give., The rose looks fair, but fairer we it deem, For that sweet odour, which doth in it live., The canker blooms… | 54 |
| Not marble, nor the gilded monuments, Of princes, shall outlive this powerful rhyme;, But you shall shine more bright in these contents, Than unswept stone, besmear'd with sluttish time., When wastefu… | 55 |
| Sweet love, renew thy force; be it not said, Thy edge should blunter be than appetite,, Which but to-day by feeding is allay'd,, To-morrow sharpened in his former might:, So, love, be thou, although t… | 56 |
| Being your slave what should I do but tend,, Upon the hours, and times of your desire?, I have no precious time at all to spend;, Nor services to do, till you require., Nor dare I chide the world-with… | 57 |
| That god forbid, that made me first your slave,, I should in thought control your times of pleasure,, Or at your hand the account of hours to crave,, Being your vassal, bound to stay your leisure!, O!… | 58 |
| If there be nothing new, but that which is, Hath been before, how are our brains beguil'd,, Which labouring for invention bear amiss, The second burthen of a former child!, O! that record could with a… | 59 |
| Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore,, So do our minutes hasten to their end;, Each changing place with that which goes before,, In sequent toil all forwards do contend., Nativity, once in… | 60 |
| Is it thy will, thy image should keep open, My heavy eyelids to the weary night?, Dost thou desire my slumbers should be broken,, While shadows like to thee do mock my sight?, Is it thy spirit that th… | 61 |
| Sin of self-love possesseth all mine eye, And all my soul, and all my every part;, And for this sin there is no remedy,, It is so grounded inward in my heart., Methinks no face so gracious is as mine,… | 62 |
| Against my love shall be as I am now,, With Time's injurious hand crush'd and o'erworn;, When hours have drain'd his blood and fill'd his brow, With lines and wrinkles; when his youthful morn, Hath tr… | 63 |
| When I have seen by Time's fell hand defac'd, The rich-proud cost of outworn buried age;, When sometime lofty towers I see down-raz'd,, And brass eternal slave to mortal rage;, When I have seen the hu… | 64 |
| Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea,, But sad mortality o'ersways their power,, How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea,, Whose action is no stronger than a flower?, O! how shall… | 65 |
| Tired with all these, for restful death I cry,, As to behold desert a beggar born,, And needy nothing trimm'd in jollity,, And purest faith unhappily forsworn,, And gilded honour shamefully misplac'd,… | 66 |
| Ah! wherefore with infection should he live,, And with his presence grace impiety,, That sin by him advantage should achieve,, And lace itself with his society?, Why should false painting imitate his… | 67 |
| Thus is his cheek the map of days outworn,, When beauty lived and died as flowers do now,, Before these bastard signs of fair were born,, Or durst inhabit on a living brow;, Before the golden tresses… | 68 |
| Those parts of thee that the world's eye doth view, Want nothing that the thought of hearts can mend;, All tongues--the voice of souls--give thee that due,, Uttering bare truth, even so as foes commen… | 69 |
| That thou art blam'd shall not be thy defect,, For slander's mark was ever yet the fair;, The ornament of beauty is suspect,, A crow that flies in heaven's sweetest air., So thou be good, slander doth… | 70 |
| No longer mourn for me when I am dead, Than you shall hear the surly sullen bell, Give warning to the world that I am fled, From this vile world with vilest worms to dwell:, Nay, if you read this line… | 71 |
| O! lest the world should task you to recite, What merit lived in me, that you should love, After my death,--dear love, forget me quite,, For you in me can nothing worthy prove;, Unless you would devis… | 72 |
| That time of year thou mayst in me behold, When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang, Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,, Bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang., In me th… | 73 |
| But be contented: when that fell arrest, Without all bail shall carry me away,, My life hath in this line some interest,, Which for memorial still with thee shall stay., When thou reviewest this, thou… | 74 |
| So are you to my thoughts as food to life,, Or as sweet-season'd showers are to the ground;, And for the peace of you I hold such strife, As 'twixt a miser and his wealth is found., Now proud as an en… | 75 |
| Why is my verse so barren of new pride,, So far from variation or quick change?, Why with the time do I not glance aside, To new-found methods, and to compounds strange?, Why write I still all one, ev… | 76 |
| Thy glass will show thee how thy beauties wear,, Thy dial how thy precious minutes waste;, These vacant leaves thy mind's imprint will bear,, And of this book, this learning mayst thou taste., The wri… | 77 |
| So oft have I invoked thee for my Muse,, And found such fair assistance in my verse, As every alien pen hath got my use, And under thee their poesy disperse., Thine eyes, that taught the dumb on high… | 78 |
| Whilst I alone did call upon thy aid,, My verse alone had all thy gentle grace;, But now my gracious numbers are decay'd,, And my sick Muse doth give an other place., I grant, sweet love, thy lovely a… | 79 |
| O! how I faint when I of you do write,, Knowing a better spirit doth use your name,, And in the praise thereof spends all his might,, To make me tongue-tied speaking of your fame!, But since your wort… | 80 |
| Or I shall live your epitaph to make,, Or you survive when I in earth am rotten;, From hence your memory death cannot take,, Although in me each part will be forgotten., Your name from hence immortal… | 81 |
| I grant thou wert not married to my Muse,, And therefore mayst without attaint o'erlook, The dedicated words which writers use, Of their fair subject, blessing every book., Thou art as fair in knowled… | 82 |
| I never saw that you did painting need,, And therefore to your fair no painting set;, I found, or thought I found, you did exceed, That barren tender of a poet's debt:, And therefore have I slept in y… | 83 |
| Who is it that says most, which can say more,, Than this rich praise,--that you alone, are you?, In whose confine immured is the store, Which should example where your equal grew., Lean penury within… | 84 |
| My tongue-tied Muse in manners holds her still,, While comments of your praise richly compil'd,, Reserve their character with golden quill,, And precious phrase by all the Muses fil'd., I think good t… | 85 |
| Was it the proud full sail of his great verse,, Bound for the prize of all too precious you,, That did my ripe thoughts in my brain inhearse,, Making their tomb the womb wherein they grew?, Was it his… | 86 |
| Farewell! thou art too dear for my possessing,, And like enough thou know'st thy estimate,, The charter of thy worth gives thee releasing;, My bonds in thee are all determinate., For how do I hold the… | 87 |
| When thou shalt be dispos'd to set me light,, And place my merit in the eye of scorn,, Upon thy side, against myself I'll fight,, And prove thee virtuous, though thou art forsworn., With mine own weak… | 88 |
| Say that thou didst forsake me for some fault,, And I will comment upon that offence:, Speak of my lameness, and I straight will halt,, Against thy reasons making no defence., Thou canst not love disg… | 89 |
| Then hate me when thou wilt; if ever, now;, Now, while the world is bent my deeds to cross,, Join with the spite of fortune, make me bow,, And do not drop in for an after-loss:, Ah! do not, when my he… | 90 |
| Some glory in their birth, some in their skill,, Some in their wealth, some in their body's force,, Some in their garments though new-fangled ill;, Some in their hawks and hounds, some in their horse;… | 91 |
| But do thy worst to steal thyself away,, For term of life thou art assured mine;, And life no longer than thy love will stay,, For it depends upon that love of thine., Then need I not to fear the wors… | 92 |
| So shall I live, supposing thou art true,, Like a deceived husband; so love's face, May still seem love to me, though alter'd new;, Thy looks with me, thy heart in other place:, For there can live no… | 93 |
| They that have power to hurt, and will do none,, That do not do the thing they most do show,, Who, moving others, are themselves as stone,, Unmoved, cold, and to temptation slow;, They rightly do inhe… | 94 |
| How sweet and lovely dost thou make the shame, Which, like a canker in the fragrant rose,, Doth spot the beauty of thy budding name!, O! in what sweets dost thou thy sins enclose., That tongue that te… | 95 |
| Some say thy fault is youth, some wantonness;, Some say thy grace is youth and gentle sport;, Both grace and faults are lov'd of more and less:, Thou mak'st faults graces that to thee resort., As on t… | 96 |
| How like a winter hath my absence been, From thee, the pleasure of the fleeting year!, What freezings have I felt, what dark days seen!, What old December's bareness everywhere!, And yet this time rem… | 97 |
| From you have I been absent in the spring,, When proud-pied April, dress'd in all his trim,, Hath put a spirit of youth in every thing,, That heavy Saturn laugh'd and leap'd with him., Yet nor the lay… | 98 |
| Sweet thief, whence didst thou steal thy sweet that smells,, If not from my love's breath? The purple pride, Which on thy soft cheek for complexion dwells, In my love's veins thou hast too grossly dy'… | 99 |
| Where art thou Muse that thou forget'st so long,, To speak of that which gives thee all thy might?, Spend'st thou thy fury on some worthless song,, Darkening thy power to lend base subjects light?, Re… | 100 |
| O truant Muse what shall be thy amends, For thy neglect of truth in beauty dy'd?, Both truth and beauty on my love depends;, So dost thou too, and therein dignified., Make answer Muse: wilt thou not h… | 101 |
| My love is strengthen'd, though more weak in seeming;, I love not less, though less the show appear;, That love is merchandiz'd, whose rich esteeming,, The owner's tongue doth publish every where., Ou… | 102 |
| Alack! what poverty my Muse brings forth,, That having such a scope to show her pride,, The argument, all bare, is of more worth, Than when it hath my added praise beside!, O! blame me not, if I no mo… | 103 |
| To me, fair friend, you never can be old,, For as you were when first your eye I ey'd,, Such seems your beauty still. Three winters cold,, Have from the forests shook three summers' pride,, Three beau… | 104 |
| Let not my love be call'd idolatry,, Nor my beloved as an idol show,, Since all alike my songs and praises be, To one, of one, still such, and ever so., Kind is my love to-day, to-morrow kind,, Still… | 105 |
| When in the chronicle of wasted time, I see descriptions of the fairest wights,, And beauty making beautiful old rime,, In praise of ladies dead and lovely knights,, Then, in the blazon of sweet beaut… | 106 |
| Not mine own fears, nor the prophetic soul, Of the wide world dreaming on things to come,, Can yet the lease of my true love control,, Supposed as forfeit to a confin'd doom., The mortal moon hath her… | 107 |
| What's in the brain, that ink may character,, Which hath not figur'd to thee my true spirit?, What's new to speak, what now to register,, That may express my love, or thy dear merit?, Nothing, sweet b… | 108 |
| O! never say that I was false of heart,, Though absence seem'd my flame to qualify,, As easy might I from my self depart, As from my soul which in thy breast doth lie:, That is my home of love: if I h… | 109 |
| Alas! 'tis true, I have gone here and there,, And made my self a motley to the view,, Gor'd mine own thoughts, sold cheap what is most dear,, Made old offences of affections new;, Most true it is, tha… | 110 |
| O! for my sake do you with Fortune chide,, The guilty goddess of my harmful deeds,, That did not better for my life provide, Than public means which public manners breeds., Thence comes it that my nam… | 111 |
| Your love and pity doth the impression fill,, Which vulgar scandal stamp'd upon my brow;, For what care I who calls me well or ill,, So you o'er-green my bad, my good allow?, You are my all-the-world,… | 112 |
| Since I left you, mine eye is in my mind;, And that which governs me to go about, Doth part his function and is partly blind,, Seems seeing, but effectually is out;, For it no form delivers to the hea… | 113 |
| Or whether doth my mind, being crown'd with you,, Drink up the monarch's plague, this flattery?, Or whether shall I say, mine eye saith true,, And that your love taught it this alchemy,, To make of mo… | 114 |
| Those lines that I before have writ do lie,, Even those that said I could not love you dearer:, Yet then my judgment knew no reason why, My most full flame should afterwards burn clearer., But reckoni… | 115 |
| Let me not to the marriage of true minds, Admit impediments. Love is not love, Which alters when it alteration finds,, Or bends with the remover to remove:, O, no! it is an ever-fixed mark,, That look… | 116 |
| Accuse me thus: that I have scanted all,, Wherein I should your great deserts repay,, Forgot upon your dearest love to call,, Whereto all bonds do tie me day by day;, That I have frequent been with un… | 117 |
| Like as, to make our appetite more keen,, With eager compounds we our palate urge;, As, to prevent our maladies unseen,, We sicken to shun sickness when we purge;, Even so, being full of your ne'er-cl… | 118 |
| What potions have I drunk of Siren tears,, Distill'd from limbecks foul as hell within,, Applying fears to hopes, and hopes to fears,, Still losing when I saw myself to win!, What wretched errors hath… | 119 |
| That you were once unkind befriends me now,, And for that sorrow, which I then did feel,, Needs must I under my transgression bow,, Unless my nerves were brass or hammer'd steel., For if you were by m… | 120 |
| 'Tis better to be vile than vile esteem'd,, When not to be receives reproach of being;, And the just pleasure lost, which is so deem'd, Not by our feeling, but by others' seeing:, For why should other… | 121 |
| Thy gift, thy tables, are within my brain, Full character'd with lasting memory,, Which shall above that idle rank remain,, Beyond all date; even to eternity:, Or, at the least, so long as brain and h… | 122 |
| No, Time, thou shalt not boast that I do change:, Thy pyramids built up with newer might, To me are nothing novel, nothing strange;, They are but dressings of a former sight., Our dates are brief, and… | 123 |
| If my dear love were but the child of state,, It might for Fortune's bastard be unfather'd,, As subject to Time's love or to Time's hate,, Weeds among weeds, or flowers with flowers gather'd., No, it… | 124 |
| Were't aught to me I bore the canopy,, With my extern the outward honouring,, Or laid great bases for eternity,, Which proves more short than waste or ruining?, Have I not seen dwellers on form and fa… | 125 |
| O thou, my lovely boy, who in thy power, Dost hold Time's fickle glass, his fickle hour;, Who hast by waning grown, and therein show'st, Thy lovers withering, as thy sweet self grow'st., If Nature, so… | 126 |
| In the old age black was not counted fair,, Or if it were, it bore not beauty's name;, But now is black beauty's successive heir,, And beauty slander'd with a bastard shame:, For since each hand hath… | 127 |
| How oft when thou, my music, music play'st,, Upon that blessed wood whose motion sounds, With thy sweet fingers when thou gently sway'st, The wiry concord that mine ear confounds,, Do I envy those jac… | 128 |
| The expense of spirit in a waste of shame, Is lust in action: and till action, lust, Is perjur'd, murderous, bloody, full of blame,, Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust;, Enjoy'd no sooner but… | 129 |
| My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;, Coral is far more red, than her lips red:, If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;, If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head., I have seen r… | 130 |
| Thou art as tyrannous, so as thou art,, As those whose beauties proudly make them cruel;, For well thou know'st to my dear doting heart, Thou art the fairest and most precious jewel., Yet, in good fai… | 131 |
| Thine eyes I love, and they, as pitying me,, Knowing thy heart torment me with disdain,, Have put on black and loving mourners be,, Looking with pretty ruth upon my pain., And truly not the morning su… | 132 |
| Beshrew that heart that makes my heart to groan, For that deep wound it gives my friend and me!, Is't not enough to torture me alone,, But slave to slavery my sweet'st friend must be?, Me from myself… | 133 |
| So, now I have confess'd that he is thine,, And I my self am mortgag'd to thy will,, Myself I'll forfeit, so that other mine, Thou wilt restore to be my comfort still:, But thou wilt not, nor he will… | 134 |
| Whoever hath her wish, thou hast thy 'Will,', And 'Will' to boot, and 'Will' in over-plus;, More than enough am I that vex'd thee still,, To thy sweet will making addition thus., Wilt thou, whose will… | 135 |
| If thy soul check thee that I come so near,, Swear to thy blind soul that I was thy 'Will',, And will, thy soul knows, is admitted there;, Thus far for love, my love-suit, sweet, fulfil., 'Will', will… | 136 |
| Thou blind fool, Love, what dost thou to mine eyes,, That they behold, and see not what they see?, They know what beauty is, see where it lies,, Yet what the best is take the worst to be., If eyes, co… | 137 |
| When my love swears that she is made of truth,, I do believe her though I know she lies,, That she might think me some untutor'd youth,, Unlearned in the world's false subtleties., Thus vainly thinkin… | 138 |
| O! call not me to justify the wrong, That thy unkindness lays upon my heart;, Wound me not with thine eye, but with thy tongue:, Use power with power, and slay me not by art,, Tell me thou lov'st else… | 139 |
| Be wise as thou art cruel; do not press, My tongue-tied patience with too much disdain;, Lest sorrow lend me words, and words express, The manner of my pity-wanting pain., If I might teach thee wit, b… | 140 |
| In faith I do not love thee with mine eyes,, For they in thee a thousand errors note;, But 'tis my heart that loves what they despise,, Who, in despite of view, is pleased to dote., Nor are mine ears… | 141 |
| Love is my sin, and thy dear virtue hate,, Hate of my sin, grounded on sinful loving:, O! but with mine compare thou thine own state,, And thou shalt find it merits not reproving;, Or, if it do, not f… | 142 |
| Lo, as a careful housewife runs to catch, One of her feather'd creatures broke away,, Sets down her babe, and makes all swift dispatch, In pursuit of the thing she would have stay;, Whilst her neglect… | 143 |
| Two loves I have of comfort and despair,, Which like two spirits do suggest me still:, The better angel is a man right fair,, The worser spirit a woman colour'd ill., To win me soon to hell, my female… | 144 |
| Those lips that Love's own hand did make,, Breathed forth the sound that said 'I hate',, To me that languish'd for her sake:, But when she saw my woeful state,, Straight in her heart did mercy come,,… | 145 |
| Poor soul, the centre of my sinful earth,, My sinful earth these rebel powers array,, Why dost thou pine within and suffer dearth,, Painting thy outward walls so costly gay?, Why so large cost, having… | 146 |
| My love is as a fever longing still,, For that which longer nurseth the disease;, Feeding on that which doth preserve the ill,, The uncertain sickly appetite to please., My reason, the physician to my… | 147 |
| O me! what eyes hath Love put in my head,, Which have no correspondence with true sight;, Or, if they have, where is my judgment fled,, That censures falsely what they see aright?, If that be fair whe… | 148 |
| Canst thou, O cruel! say I love thee not,, When I against myself with thee partake?, Do I not think on thee, when I forgot, Am of my self, all tyrant, for thy sake?, Who hateth thee that I do call my… | 149 |
| O! from what power hast thou this powerful might,, With insufficiency my heart to sway?, To make me give the lie to my true sight,, And swear that brightness doth not grace the day?, Whence hast thou… | 150 |
| Love is too young to know what conscience is,, Yet who knows not conscience is born of love?, Then, gentle cheater, urge not my amiss,, Lest guilty of my faults thy sweet self prove:, For, thou betray… | 151 |
| In loving thee thou know'st I am forsworn,, But thou art twice forsworn, to me love swearing;, In act thy bed-vow broke, and new faith torn,, In vowing new hate after new love bearing:, But why of two… | 152 |
| Cupid laid by his brand and fell asleep:, A maid of Dian's this advantage found,, And his love-kindling fire did quickly steep, In a cold valley-fountain of that ground;, Which borrow'd from this holy… | 153 |
| 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 too… | 154 |