[ { "title": "Sonnet", "author": "Amy Levy", "lines": [ "Most wonderful and strange it seems, that I", "Who but a little time ago was tost", "High on the waves of passion and of pain,", "With aching heat and wildly throbbing brain,", "Who peered into the darkness, deeming vain", "All things there found if but One thing were lost,", "Thus calm and still and silent here should lie,", "Watching and waiting, --waiting passively.", "", "The dark has faded, and before mine eyes", "Have long, grey flats expanded, dim and bare;", "And through the changing guises all things wear", "Inevitable Law I recognise:", "Yet in my heart a hint of feeling lies", "Which half a hope and half a despair." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XLIV: Press'd by the Moon", "author": "Charlotte Smith", "lines": [ "Press'd by the Moon, mute arbitress of tides,", "While the loud equinox its power combines,", "The sea no more its swelling surge confines,", "But o'er the shrinking land sublimely rides.", "The wild blast, rising from the Western cave,", "Drives the huge billows from their heaving bed;", "Tears from their grassy tombs the village dead,", "And breaks the silent sabbath of the grave!", "With shells and sea-weed mingled, on the shore", "Lo! their bones whiten in the frequent wave;", "But vain to them the winds and waters rave;", "They hear the warring elements no more:", "While I am doom'd—by life's long storm opprest,", "To gaze with envy on their gloomy rest." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XLIII: The Unhappy Exile", "author": "Charlotte Smith", "lines": [ "The unhappy exile, whom his fates confine", "To the bleak coast of some unfriendly isle,", "Cold, barren, desart, where no harvests smile,", "But thirst and hunger on the rocks repine;", "When, from some promontory's fearful brow,", "Sun after sun he hopeless sees decline", "In the broad shipless sea—perhaps may know", "Such heartless pain, such blank despair as mine;", "And, if a flattering cloud appears to show", "The fancied semblance of a distant sail,", "Then melts away—anew his spirits fail,", "While the lost hope but aggravates his woe!", "Ah! so for me delusive Fancy toils,", "Then, from contrasted truth—my feeble soul recoils." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Monna Innominata: A Sonnet of Sonnets", "author": "Christina Rossetti", "lines": [ "1", "", "Lo dм che han detto a' dolci amici addio. - Dante", "Amor, con quanto sforzo oggi mi vinci! - Petrarca", "", "Come back to me, who wait and watch for you:--", "Or come not yet, for it is over then,", "And long it is before you come again,", "So far between my pleasures are and few.", "While, when you come not, what I do I do", "Thinking \"Now when he comes,\" my sweetest when:\"", "For one man is my world of all the men", "This wide world holds; O love, my world is you.", "Howbeit, to meet you grows almost a pang", "Because the pang of parting comes so soon;", "My hope hangs waning, waxing, like a moon", "Between the heavenly days on which we meet:", "Ah me, but where are now the songs I sang", "When life was sweet because you call'd them sweet?", "", "2", "", "Era giа 1'ora che volge il desio. - Dante", "Ricorro al tempo ch' io vi vidi prima. - Petrarca", "", "I wish I could remember that first day,", "First hour, first moment of your meeting me,", "If bright or dim the season, it might be", "Summer or winter for aught I can say;", "So unrecorded did it slip away,", "So blind was I to see and to foresee,", "So dull to mark the budding of my tree", "That would not blossom yet for many a May.", "If only I could recollect it, such", "A day of days! I let it come and go", "As traceless as a thaw of bygone snow;", "It seem'd to mean so little, meant so much;", "If only now I could recall that touch,", "First touch of hand in hand--Did one but know!", "", "", "3", "", "O ombre vane, fuor che ne l'aspetto! - Dante", "Immaginata guida la conduce. - Petrarca", "", "I dream of you to wake: would that I might", "Dream of you and not wake but slumber on;", "Nor find with dreams the dear companion gone,", "As summer ended summer birds take flight.", "In happy dreams I hold you full in sight,", "I blush again who waking look so wan;", "Brighter than sunniest day that ever shone,", "In happy dreams your smile makes day of night.", "Thus only in a dream we are at one,", "Thus only in a dream we give and take", "The faith that maketh rich who take or give;", "If thus to sleep is sweeter than to wake,", "To die were surely sweeter than to live,", "Though there be nothing new beneath the sun.", "", "", "4", "", "Poca favilla gran fliamma seconda. - Dante", "Ogni altra cosa, ogni pensier va fore,", "E sol ivi con voi rimansi amore. - Petrarca", "", "I lov'd you first: but afterwards your love", "Outsoaring mine, sang such a loftier song", "As drown'd the friendly cooings of my dove.", "Which owes the other most? my love was long,", "And yours one moment seem'd to wax more strong;", "I lov'd and guess'd at you, you construed me--", "And lov'd me for what might or might not be", "Nay, weights and measures do us both a wrong.", "For verily love knows not \"mine\" or \"thine;\"", "With separate \"I\" and \"thou\" free love has done,", "For one is both and both are one in love:", "Rich love knows nought of \"thine that is not mine;\"", "Both have the strength and both the length thereof,", "Both of us, of the love which makes us one.", "", "", "5", "", "Amor che a nullo amato amar perdona. - Dante", "Amor m'addusse in sм gioiosa spene. - Petrarca", "", "O my heart's heart, and you who are to me", "More than myself myself, God be with you,", "Keep you in strong obedience leal and true", "To Him whose noble service setteth free,", "Give you all good we see or can foresee,", "Make your joys many and your sorrows few,", "Bless you in what you bear and what you do,", "Yea, perfect you as He would have you be.", "So much for you; but what for me, dear friend?", "To love you without stint and all I can", "Today, tomorrow, world without an end;", "To love you much and yet to love you more,", "As Jordan at his flood sweeps either shore;", "Since woman is the helpmeet made for man.", "", "", "6", "", "Or puoi la quantitate", "Comprender de l'amor che a te mi scalda. - Dante", "Non vo' che da tal nodo mi scioglia. - Petrarca", "", "Trust me, I have not earn'd your dear rebuke,", "I love, as you would have me, God the most;", "Would lose not Him, but you, must one be lost,", "Nor with Lot's wife cast back a faithless look", "Unready to forego what I forsook;", "This say I, having counted up the cost,", "This, though I be the feeblest of God's host,", "The sorriest sheep Christ shepherds with His crook.", "Yet while I love my God the most, I deem", "That I can never love you overmuch;", "I love Him more, so let me love you too;", "Yea, as I apprehend it, love is such", "I cannot love you if I love not Him,", "I cannot love Him if I love not you.", "", "", "7", "", "Qui primavera sempre ed ogni frutto. - Dante", "Ragionando con meco ed io con lui. - Petrarca", "", "\"Love me, for I love you\"--and answer me,", "\"Love me, for I love you\"--so shall we stand", "As happy equals in the flowering land", "Of love, that knows not a dividing sea.", "Love builds the house on rock and not on sand,", "Love laughs what while the winds rave desperately;", "And who hath found love's citadel unmann'd?", "And who hath held in bonds love's liberty?", "My heart's a coward though my words are brave", "We meet so seldom, yet we surely part", "So often; there's a problem for your art!", "Still I find comfort in his Book, who saith,", "Though jealousy be cruel as the grave,", "And death be strong, yet love is strong as death.", "", "", "8", "", "Come dicesse a Dio: D'altro non calme. - Dante", "Spero trovar pietа non che perdono. - Petrarca", "", "\"I, if I perish, perish\"--Esther spake:", "And bride of life or death she made her fair", "In all the lustre of her perfum'd hair", "And smiles that kindle longing but to slake.", "She put on pomp of loveliness, to take", "Her husband through his eyes at unaware;", "She spread abroad her beauty for a snare,", "Harmless as doves and subtle as a snake.", "She trapp'd him with one mesh of silken hair,", "She vanquish'd him by wisdom of her wit,", "And built her people's house that it should stand:--", "If I might take my life so in my hand,", "And for my love to Love put up my prayer,", "And for love's sake by Love be granted it!", "", "", "9", "", "O dignitosa coscienza e netta! - Dante", "Spirto piщ acceso di virtuti ardenti. - Petrarca", "", "Thinking of you, and all that was, and all", "That might have been and now can never be,", "I feel your honour'd excellence, and see", "Myself unworthy of the happier call:", "For woe is me who walk so apt to fall,", "So apt to shrink afraid, so apt to flee,", "Apt to lie down and die (ah, woe is me!)", "Faithless and hopeless turning to the wall.", "And yet not hopeless quite nor faithless quite,", "Because not loveless; love may toil all night,", "But take at morning; wrestle till the break", "Of day, but then wield power with God and man:--", "So take I heart of grace as best I can,", "Ready to spend and be spent for your sake.", "", "", "10", "", "Con miglior corso e con migliore stella. - Dante", "La vita fugge e non s'arresta un' ora. - Petrarca", "", "Time flies, hope flags, life plies a wearied wing;", "Death following hard on life gains ground apace;", "Faith runs with each and rears an eager face,", "Outruns the rest, makes light of everything,", "Spurns earth, and still finds breath to pray and sing;", "While love ahead of all uplifts his praise,", "Still asks for grace and still gives thanks for grace,", "Content with all day brings and night will bring.", "Life wanes; and when love folds his wings above", "Tired hope, and less we feel his conscious pulse,", "Let us go fall asleep, dear friend, in peace:", "A little while, and age and sorrow cease;", "A little while, and life reborn annuls", "Loss and decay and death, and all is love.", "", "", "11", "", "Vien dietro a me e lascia dir le genti. - Dante", "Contando i casi della vita nostra. - Petrarca", "", "Many in aftertimes will say of you", "\"He lov'd her\"--while of me what will they say?", "Not that I lov'd you more than just in play,", "For fashion's sake as idle women do.", "Even let them prate; who know not what we knew", "Of love and parting in exceeding pain,", "Of parting hopeless here to meet again,", "Hopeless on earth, and heaven is out of view.", "But by my heart of love laid bare to you,", "My love that you can make not void nor vain,", "Love that foregoes you but to claim anew", "Beyond this passage of the gate of death,", "I charge you at the Judgment make it plain", "My love of you was life and not a breath.", "", "", "12", "", "Amor, che ne la mente mi ragiona. - Dante", "Amor vien nel bel viso di costei. - Petrarca", "", "If there be any one can take my place", "And make you happy whom I grieve to grieve,", "Think not that I can grudge it, but believe", "I do commend you to that nobler grace,", "That readier wit than mine, that sweeter face;", "Yea, since your riches make me rich, conceive", "I too am crown'd, while bridal crowns I weave,", "And thread the bridal dance with jocund pace.", "For if I did not love you, it might be", "That I should grudge you some one dear delight;", "But since the heart is yours that was mine own,", "Your pleasure is my pleasure, right my right,", "Your honourable freedom makes me free,", "And you companion'd I am not alone.", "", "", "13", "", "E drizzeremo gli occhi al Primo Amore. - Dante", "Ma trovo peso non da le mie braccia. - Petrarca", "", "If I could trust mine own self with your fate,", "Shall I not rather trust it in God's hand?", "Without Whose Will one lily doth not stand,", "Nor sparrow fall at his appointed date;", "Who numbereth the innumerable sand,", "Who weighs the wind and water with a weight,", "To Whom the world is neither small nor great,", "Whose knowledge foreknew every plan we plann'd.", "Searching my heart for all that touches you,", "I find there only love and love's goodwill", "Helpless to help and impotent to do,", "Of understanding dull, of sight most dim;", "And therefore I commend you back to Him", "Whose love your love's capacity can fill.", "", "", "14", "", "E la Sua Volontade и nostra pace. - Dante", "Sol con questi pensier, con altre chiome. - Petrarca", "", "Youth gone, and beauty gone if ever there", "Dwelt beauty in so poor a face as this;", "Youth gone and beauty, what remains of bliss?", "I will not bind fresh roses in my hair,", "To shame a cheek at best but little fair,--", "Leave youth his roses, who can bear a thorn,--", "I will not seek for blossoms anywhere,", "Except such common flowers as blow with corn.", "Youth gone and beauty gone, what doth remain?", "The longing of a heart pent up forlorn,", "A silent heart whose silence loves and longs;", "The silence of a heart which sang its songs", "While youth and beauty made a summer morn,", "Silence of love that cannot sing again." ], "linecount": "240" }, { "title": "Sonnet 75", "author": "Edmund Spenser", "lines": [ "One day I wrote her name upon the strand,", "But came the waves and washed it away:", "Agayne I wrote it with a second hand,", "But came the tyde, and made my paynes his pray.", "\"Vayne man,\" sayd she, \"that doest in vaine assay.", "A mortall thing so to immortalize,", "For I my selve shall lyke to this decay,", "and eek my name bee wyped out lykewize.\"", "\"Not so,\" quod I, \"let baser things devize,", "To dy in dust, but you shall live by fame:", "My verse your vertues rare shall eternize,", "And in the heavens wryte your glorious name.", "Where whenas death shall all the world subdew,", "Our love shall live, and later life renew.\"" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 30 (Fire And Ice)", "author": "Edmund Spenser", "lines": [ "My love is like to ice, and I to fire:", "how comes it then that this her cold so great", "is not dissolv'd through my so hot desire,", "but harder grows, the more I her entreat?", "", "Or how comes it that my exceeding heat", "is not delayed by her heart frozen cold,", "but that I burn much more in boiling sweat,", "and feel my flames augmented manifold?", "", "What more miraculous thing may be told", "that fire, which all thing melts, should harden ice:", "and ice which is congealed with senseless cold,", "should kindle fire by wonderful device?", "", "Such is the pow'r of love in gentle mind", "that it can alter all the course of kind." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 54", "author": "Edmund Spenser", "lines": [ "Of this worlds theatre in which we stay,", "My love like the spectator ydly sits", "Beholding me that all the pageants play,", "Disguysing diversly my troubled wits.", "Sometimes I joy when glad occasion fits,", "And mask in myrth lyke to a comedy:", "Soone after when my joy to sorrow flits,", "I waile and make my woes a tragedy.", "Yet she, beholding me with constant eye,", "Delights not in my merth nor rues my smart:", "But when I laugh she mocks, and when I cry", "She laughs and hardens evermore her heart.", "What then can move her? if nor merth nor mone,", "She is no woman, but a senceless stone." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 32 - The first time that the sun rose on thine oath", "author": "Elizabeth Barrett Browning", "lines": [ "The first time that the sun rose on thine oath", "To love me, I looked forward to the moon", "To slacken all those bonds which seemed too soon", "And quickly tied to make a lasting troth.", "Quick-loving hearts, I thought, may quickly loathe;", "And, looking on myself, I seemed not one", "For such man's love!—more like an out-of-tune", "Worn viol, a good singer would be wroth", "To spoil his song with, and which, snatched in haste,", "Is laid down at the first ill-sounding note.", "I did not wrong myself so, but I placed", "A wrong on thee. For perfect strains may float", "'Neath master-hands, from instruments defaced,—", "And great souls, at one stroke, may do and doat." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 34 - With the same heart, I said, I'll answer thee", "author": "Elizabeth Barrett Browning", "lines": [ "With the same heart, I said, I'll answer thee", "As those, when thou shalt call me by my name—", "Lo, the vain promise! is the same, the same,", "Perplexed and ruffled by life's strategy?", "When called before, I told how hastily", "I dropped my flowers or brake off from a game,", "To run and answer with the smile that came", "At play last moment, and went on with me", "Through my obedience. When I answer now,", "I drop a grave thought, break from solitude;", "Yet still my heart goes to thee—ponder how—", "Not as to a single good, but all my good!", "Lay thy hand on it, best one, and allow", "That no child's foot could run fast as this blood." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 16 - And yet, because thou overcomest so", "author": "Elizabeth Barrett Browning", "lines": [ "And yet, because thou overcomest so,", "Because thou art more noble and like a king,", "Thou canst prevail against my fears and fling", "Thy purple round me, till my heart shall grow", "Too close against thine heart henceforth to know", "How it shook when alone. Why, conquering", "May prove as lordly and complete a thing", "In lifting upward, as in crushing low!", "And as a vanquished soldier yields his sword", "To one who lifts him from the bloody earth,", "Even so, Beloved, I at last record,", "Here ends my strife. If thou invite me forth,", "I rise above abasement at the word.", "Make thy love larger to enlarge my worth." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 40 - Oh, yes! they love through all this world of ours!", "author": "Elizabeth Barrett Browning", "lines": [ "Oh, yes! they love through all this world of ours!", "I will not gainsay love, called love forsooth.", "I have heard love talked in my early youth,", "And since, not so long back but that the flowers", "Then gathered, smell still. Mussulmans and Giaours", "Throw kerchiefs at a smile, and have no ruth", "For any weeping. Polypheme's white tooth", "Slips on the nut if, after frequent showers,", "The shell is over-smooth,—and not so much", "Will turn the thing called love, aside to hate", "Or else to oblivion. But thou art not such", "A lover, my Beloved! thou canst wait", "Through sorrow and sickness, to bring souls to touch,", "And think it soon when others cry 'Too late.'" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 30 - I see thine image through my tears to-night", "author": "Elizabeth Barrett Browning", "lines": [ "I see thine image through my tears to-night,", "And yet to-day I saw thee smiling. How", "Refer the cause?—Beloved, is it thou", "Or I, who makes me sad? The acolyte", "Amid the chanted joy and thankful rite", "May so fall flat, with pale insensate brow,", "On the altar-stair. I hear thy voice and vow,", "Perplexed, uncertain, since thou art out of sight,", "As he, in his swooning ears, the choir's Amen.", "Beloved, dost thou love? or did I see all", "The glory as I dreamed, and fainted when", "Too vehement light dilated my ideal,", "For my soul's eyes? Will that light come again,", "As now these tears come—falling hot and real?" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 21 - Say over again, and yet once over again", "author": "Elizabeth Barrett Browning", "lines": [ "Say over again, and yet once over again,", "That thou dost love me. Though the word repeated", "Should seem 'a cuckoo-song,' as thou dost treat it,", "Remember, never to the hill or plain,", "Valley and wood, without her cuckoo-strain", "Comes the fresh Spring in all her green completed.", "Beloved, I, amid the darkness greeted", "By a doubtful spirit-voice, in that doubt's pain", "Cry, 'Speak once more—thou lovest! 'Who can fear", "Too many stars, though each in heaven shall roll,", "Too many flowers, though each shall crown the year?", "Say thou dost love me, love me, love me—toll", "The silver iterance!—only minding, Dear,", "To love me also in silence with thy soul." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 23 - Is it indeed so? If I lay here dead", "author": "Elizabeth Barrett Browning", "lines": [ "Is it indeed so? If I lay here dead,", "Wouldst thou miss any life in losing mine?", "And would the sun for thee more coldly shine", "Because of grave-damps falling round my head?", "I marvelled, my Beloved, when I read", "Thy thought so in the letter. I am thine—", "But . . . so much to thee? Can I pour thy wine", "While my hands tremble ? Then my soul, instead", "Of dreams of death, resumes life's lower range.", "Then, love me, Love! look on me—breathe on me!", "As brighter ladies do not count it strange,", "For love, to give up acres and degree,", "I yield the grave for thy sake, and exchange", "My near sweet view of Heaven, for earth with thee!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 12 - Indeed this very love which is my boast", "author": "Elizabeth Barrett Browning", "lines": [ "Indeed this very love which is my boast,", "And which, when rising up from breast to brow,", "Doth crown me with a ruby large enow", "To draw men's eyes and prove the inner cost,—", "This love even, all my worth, to the uttermost,", "I should not love withal, unless that thou", "Hadst set me an example, shown me how,", "When first thine earnest eyes with mine were crossed,", "And love called love. And thus, I cannot speak", "Of love even, as a good thing of my own:", "Thy soul hath snatched up mine all faint and weak,", "And placed it by thee on a golden throne,—", "And that I love (O soul, we must be meek!)", "Is by thee only, whom I love alone." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 09 - Can it be right to give what I can give?", "author": "Elizabeth Barrett Browning", "lines": [ "Can it be right to give what I can give?", "To let thee sit beneath the fall of tears", "As salt as mine, and hear the sighing years", "Re-sighing on my lips renunciative", "Through those infrequent smiles which fail to live", "For all thy adjurations? O my fears,", "That this can scarce be right! We are not peers,", "So to be lovers; and I own, and grieve,", "That givers of such gifts as mine are, must", "Be counted with the ungenerous. Out, alas!", "I will not soil thy purple with my dust,", "Nor breathe my poison on thy Venice-glass,", "Nor give thee any love—which were unjust.", "Beloved, I only love thee! let it pass." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 07 - The face of all the world is changed, I think", "author": "Elizabeth Barrett Browning", "lines": [ "The face of all the world is changed, I think,", "Since first I heard the footsteps of thy soul", "Move still, oh, still, beside me, as they stole", "Betwixt me and the dreadful outer brink", "Of obvious death, where I, who thought to sink,", "Was caught up into love, and taught the whole", "Of life in a new rhythm. The cup of dole", "God gave for baptism, I am fain to drink,", "And praise its sweetness, Sweet, with thee anear.", "The names of country, heaven, are changed away", "For where thou art or shalt be, there or here;", "And this . . . this lute and song . . . loved yesterday,", "(The singing angels know) are only dear", "Because thy name moves right in what they say." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 44 - Beloved, thou hast brought me many flowers", "author": "Elizabeth Barrett Browning", "lines": [ "Beloved, thou hast brought me many flowers", "Plucked in the garden, all the summer through", "And winter, and it seemed as if they grew", "In this close room, nor missed the sun and showers.", "So, in the like name of that love of ours,", "Take back these thoughts which here unfolded too,", "And which on warm and cold days I withdrew", "From my heart's ground. Indeed, those beds and bowers", "Be overgrown with bitter weeds and rue,", "And wait thy weeding; yet here's eglantine,", "Here 's ivy!—take them, as I used to do", "Thy fowers, and keep them where they shall not pine.", "Instruct thine eyes to keep their colors true,", "And tell thy soul their roots are left in mine." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 33 - Yes, call me by my pet-name! let me hear", "author": "Elizabeth Barrett Browning", "lines": [ "Yes, call me by my pet-name! let me hear", "The name I used to run at, when a child,", "From innocent play, and leave the cowslips piled,", "To glance up in some face that proved me dear", "With the look of its eyes. I miss the clear", "Fond voices which, being drawn and reconciled", "Into the music of Heaven's undefiled,", "Call me no longer. Silence on the bier,", "While I call God—call God!—So let thy mouth", "Be heir to those who are now exanimate.", "Gather the north flowers to complete the south,", "And catch the early love up in the late.", "Yes, call me by that name,—and I, in truth,", "With the same heart, will answer and not wait." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 22 - When our two souls stand up erect and strong", "author": "Elizabeth Barrett Browning", "lines": [ "When our two souls stand up erect and strong,", "Face to face, silent, drawing nigh and nigher,", "Until the lengthening wings break into fire", "At either curved point,—what bitter wrong", "Can the earth do to us, that we should not long", "Be here contented? Think. In mounting higher,", "The angels would press on us and aspire", "To drop some golden orb of perfect song", "Into our deep, dear silence. Let us stay", "Rather on earth, Beloved,—where the unfit", "Contrarious moods of men recoil away", "And isolate pure spirits, and permit", "A place to stand and love in for a day,", "With darkness and the death-hour rounding it." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 19 - The soul's Rialto hath its merchandise", "author": "Elizabeth Barrett Browning", "lines": [ "XIX", "", "The soul's Rialto hath its merchandise;", "I barter curl for curl upon that mart,", "And from my poet's forehead to my heart", "Receive this lock which outweighs argosies,—", "As purply black, as erst to Pindar's eyes", "The dim purpureal tresses gloomed athwart", "The nine white Muse-brows. For this counterpart, . . .", "The bay-crown's shade, Beloved, I surmise,", "Still lingers on thy curl, it is so black!", "Thus, with a fillet of smooth-kissing breath,", "I tie the shadows safe from gliding back,", "And lay the gift where nothing hindereth;", "Here on my heart, as on thy brow, to lack", "No natural heat till mine grows cold in death." ], "linecount": "15" }, { "title": "Sonnet 38 - First time he kissed me, he but only kissed", "author": "Elizabeth Barrett Browning", "lines": [ "First time he kissed me, he but only kissed", "The fingers of this hand wherewith I write;", "And ever since, it grew more clean and white,", "Slow to world-greetings, quick with its 'Oh, list,'", "When the angels speak. A ring of amethyst", "I could not wear here, plainer to my sight,", "Than that first kiss. The second passed in height", "The first, and sought the forehead, and half missed,", "Half falling on the hair. O beyond meed!", "That was the chrism of love, which love's own crown,", "With sanctifying sweetness, did precede.", "The third upon my lips was folded down", "In perfect, purple state; since when, indeed,", "I have been proud and said, 'My love, my own.'" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet (I)", "author": "George Herbert", "lines": [ "My God, where is that ancient heat towards thee,", "Wherewith whole showls of Martyrs once did burn,", "Besides their other flames? Doth Poetry", "Wear Venus livery? only serve her turn?", "Why are not Sonnets made of thee? and layes", "Upon thine Altar burnt? Cannot thy love", "Heighten a spirit to sound out thy praise", "As well as any she? Cannot thy Dove", "Out-strip their Cupid easily in flight?", "Or, since thy wayes are deep, and still the fame,", "Will not a verse run smooth that bears thy name!", "Why doth that fire, which by thy power and might", "Each breast does feel, no braver fuel choose", "Than that, which one day, Worms, may chance refuse?" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "A Calendar of Sonnets: March", "author": "Helen Hunt Jackson", "lines": [ "Month which the warring ancients strangely styled", "The month of war,--as if in their fierce ways", "Were any month of peace!--in thy rough days", "I find no war in Nature, though the wild", "Winds clash and clang, and broken boughs are piled", "As feet of writhing trees. The violets raise", "Their heads without affright, without amaze,", "And sleep through all the din, as sleeps a child.", "And he who watches well may well discern", "Sweet expectation in each living thing.", "Like pregnant mother the sweet earth doth yearn;", "In secret joy makes ready for the spring;", "And hidden, sacred, in her breast doth bear", "Annunciation lilies for the year." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "A Calendar of Sonnets: April", "author": "Helen Hunt Jackson", "lines": [ "No days such honored days as these! While yet", "Fair Aphrodite reigned, men seeking wide", "For some fair thing which should forever bide", "On earth, her beauteous memory to set", "In fitting frame that no age could forget,", "Her name in lovely April's name did hide,", "And leave it there, eternally allied", "To all the fairest flowers Spring did beget.", "And when fair Aphrodite passed from earth,", "Her shrines forgotten and her feasts of mirth,", "A holier symbol still in seal and sign,", "Sweet April took, of kingdom most divine,", "When Christ ascended, in the time of birth", "Of spring anemones, in Palestine." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "A Calendar of Sonnets: July", "author": "Helen Hunt Jackson", "lines": [ "Some flowers are withered and some joys have died;", "The garden reeks with an East Indian scent", "From beds where gillyflowers stand weak and spent;", "The white heat pales the skies from side to side;", "But in still lakes and rivers, cool, content,", "Like starry blooms on a new firmament,", "White lilies float and regally abide.", "In vain the cruel skies their hot rays shed;", "The lily does not feel their brazen glare.", "In vain the pallid clouds refuse to share", "Their dews, the lily feels no thirst, no dread.", "Unharmed she lifts her queenly face and head;", "She drinks of living waters and keeps fair." ], "linecount": "13" }, { "title": "A Calendar of Sonnets: November", "author": "Helen Hunt Jackson", "lines": [ "This is the treacherous month when autumn days", "With summer's voice come bearing summer's gifts.", "Beguiled, the pale down-trodden aster lifts", "Her head and blooms again. The soft, warm haze", "Makes moist once more the sere and dusty ways,", "And, creeping through where dead leaves lie in drifts,", "The violet returns. Snow noiseless sifts", "Ere night, an icy shroud, which morning's rays", "Willidly shine upon and slowly melt,", "Too late to bid the violet live again.", "The treachery, at last, too late, is plain;", "Bare are the places where the sweet flowers dwelt.", "What joy sufficient hath November felt?", "What profit from the violet's day of pain?" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "A Calendar of Sonnets: January", "author": "Helen Hunt Jackson", "lines": [ "O Winter! frozen pulse and heart of fire,", "What loss is theirs who from thy kingdom turn", "Dismayed, and think thy snow a sculptured urn", "Of death! Far sooner in midsummer tire", "The streams than under ice. June could not hire", "Her roses to forego the strength they learn", "In sleeping on thy breast. No fires can burn", "The bridges thou dost lay where men desire", "In vain to build.", "O Heart, when Love's sun goes", "To northward, and the sounds of singing cease,", "Keep warm by inner fires, and rest in peace.", "Sleep on content, as sleeps the patient rose.", "Walk boldly on the white untrodden snows,", "The winter is the winter's own release." ], "linecount": "15" }, { "title": "A Calendar of Sonnets: June", "author": "Helen Hunt Jackson", "lines": [ "O month whose promise and fulfilment blend,", "And burst in one! it seems the earth can store", "In all her roomy house no treasure more;", "Of all her wealth no farthing have to spend", "On fruit, when once this stintless flowering end.", "And yet no tiniest flower shall fall before", "It hath made ready at its hidden core", "Its tithe of seed, which we may count and tend", "Till harvest. Joy of blossomed love, for thee", "Seems it no fairer thing can yet have birth?", "No room is left for deeper ecstacy?", "Watch well if seeds grow strong, to scatter free", "Germs for thy future summers on the earth.", "A joy which is but joy soon comes to dearth." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "A Calendar of Sonnets: May", "author": "Helen Hunt Jackson", "lines": [ "O Month when they who love must love and wed!", "Were one to go to worlds where May is naught,", "And seek to tell the memories he had brought", "From earth of thee, what were most fitly said?", "I know not if the rosy showers shed", "From apple-boughs, or if the soft green wrought", "In fields, or if the robin's call be fraught", "The most with thy delight. Perhaps they read", "Thee best who in the ancient time did say", "Thou wert the sacred month unto the old:", "No blossom blooms upon thy brightest day", "So subtly sweet as memories which unfold", "In aged hearts which in thy sunshine lie,", "To sun themselves once more before they die." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Holy Sonnet IV: Oh My Black Soul! Now Art Thou Summoned", "author": "John Donne", "lines": [ "Oh my black soul! now art thou summoned", "By sickness, death's herald, and champion;", "Thou art like a pilgrim, which abroad hath done", "Treason, and durst not turn to whence he is fled;", "Or like a thief, which till death's doom be read,", "Wisheth himself delivered from prison,", "But damned and haled to execution,", "Wisheth that still he might be imprisoned.", "Yet grace, if thou repent, thou canst not lack;", "But who shall give thee that grace to begin?", "Oh make thy self with holy mourning black,", "And red with blushing, as thou art with sin;", "Or wash thee in Christ's blood, which hath this might", "That being red, it dyes red souls to white" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Holy Sonnet XVI: Father, Part Of His Double Interest", "author": "John Donne", "lines": [ "Father, part of his double interest", "Unto thy kingdom, thy Son gives to me,", "His jointure in the knotty Trinity", "He keeps, and gives to me his death's conquest.", "This Lamb, whose death with life the world hath blest,", "Was from the world's beginning slain, and he", "Hath made two Wills which with the Legacy", "Of his and thy kingdom do thy Sons invest.", "Yet such are thy laws that men argue yet", "Whether a man those statutes can fulfil;", "None doth; but all-healing grace and spirit", "Revive again what law and letter kill.", "Thy law's abridgement, and thy last command", "Is all but love; Oh let this last Will stand!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Holy Sonnet XIX: Oh, To Vex Me, Contraries Meet In One", "author": "John Donne", "lines": [ "Oh, to vex me, contraries meet in one:", "Inconstancy unnaturally hath begot", "A constant habit; that when I would not", "I change in vows, and in devotion.", "As humorous is my contrition", "As my profane love, and as soon forgot:", "As riddlingly distempered, cold and hot,", "As praying, as mute; as infinite, as none.", "I durst not view heaven yesterday; and today", "In prayers and flattering speeches I court God:", "Tomorrow I quake with true fear of his rod.", "So my devout fits come and go away", "Like a fantastic ague; save that here", "Those are my best days, when I shake with feare." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Holy Sonnet VIII: If Faithful Souls Be Alike Glorified", "author": "John Donne", "lines": [ "If faithful souls be alike glorified", "As angels, then my fathers soul doth see,", "And adds this even to full felicity,", "That valiantly I hells wide mouth o'erstride:", "But if our minds to these souls be descried", "By circumstances, and by signs that be", "Apparent in us, not immediately,", "How shall my mind's white truth by them be tried?", "They see idolatrous lovers weep and mourn,", "And vile blasphemous conjurers to call", "On Jesus name, and Pharisaical", "Dissemblers feigne devotion. Then turn,", "O pensive soul, to God, for he knows best", "Thy true grief, for he put it in my breast." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Holy Sonnet XII: Why Are We By All Creatures Waited On?", "author": "John Donne", "lines": [ "Why are we by all creatures waited on?", "Why do the prodigal elements supply", "Life and food to me, being more pure than I,", "Simple, and further from corruption?", "Why brook'st thou, ignorant horse, subjection?", "Why dost thou, bull, and bore so seelily,", "Dissemble weakness, and by one man's stroke die,", "Whose whole kind you might swallow and feed upon?", "Weaker I am, woe is me, and worse than you,", "You have not sinned, nor need be timorous.", "But wonder at a greater wonder, for to us", "Created nature doth these things subdue,", "But their Creator, whom sin nor nature tied,", "For us, His creatures, and His foes, hath died." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Holy Sonnet III: O Might Those Sighs And Tears Return Again", "author": "John Donne", "lines": [ "O might those sighs and tears return again", "Into my breast and eyes, which I have spent,", "That I might in this holy discontent", "Mourn with some fruit, as I have mourned in vain;", "In mine Idolatry what showers of rain", "Mine eyes did waste! what griefs my heart did rent!", "That sufferance was my sin; now I repent;", "'Cause I did suffer I must suffer pain.", "Th' hydropic drunkard, and night-scouting thief,", "The itchy lecher, and self-tickling proud", "Have the remembrance of past joys for relief", "Of comming ills. To (poor) me is allowed", "No ease; for long, yet vehement grief hath been", "Th' effect and cause, the punishment and sin." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Holy Sonnet II: As Due By Many Titles I Resign", "author": "John Donne", "lines": [ "As due by many titles I resign", "My self to Thee, O God; first I was made", "By Thee, and for Thee, and when I was decayed", "Thy blood bought that, the which before was Thine;", "I am Thy son, made with Thy Self to shine,", "Thy servant, whose pains Thou hast still repaid,", "Thy sheep, thine image, and, till I betrayed", "My self, a temple of Thy Spirit divine;", "Why doth the devil then usurp on me?", "Why doth he steal, nay ravish that's thy right?", "Except thou rise and for thine own work fight,", "Oh I shall soon despair, when I do see", "That thou lov'st mankind well, yet wilt not choose me,", "And Satan hates me, yet is loth to lose me." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Holy Sonnet VII: At The Round Earth's Imagined Corners Blow", "author": "John Donne", "lines": [ "At the round earth's imagined corners blow", "Your trumpets, angels, and arise, arise", "From death, you numberless infinities", "Of souls, and to your scattered bodies go,", "All whom the flood did, and fire shall, overthrow,", "All whom war, dearth, age, agues, tyrannies,", "Despair, law, chance, hath slain, and you whose eyes", "Shall behold God, and never taste death's woe.", "But let them sleep, Lord, and me mourn a space,", "For, if above all these my sins abound,", "'Tis late to ask abundance of Thy grace,", "When we are there. Here on this lowly ground", "Teach me how to repent; for that's as good", "As if Thou'dst sealed my pardon, with Thy blood." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Holy Sonnet XV: Wilt Thou Love God, As He Thee? Then Digest", "author": "John Donne", "lines": [ "Wilt thou love God, as he thee? Then digest,", "My soul, this wholesome meditation,", "How God the Spirit, by angels waited on", "In heaven, doth make his Temple in thy breast.", "The Father having begot a Son most blest,", "And still begetting, (for he ne'er be gone)", "Hath deigned to choose thee by adoption,", "Co-heir t' his glory, and Sabbath' endless rest.", "And as a robbed man, which by search doth find", "His stol'n stuff sold, must lose or buy 't again:", "The Son of glory came down, and was slain,", "Us whom he'd made, and Satan stol'n, to unbind.", "'Twas much that man was made like God before,", "But, that God should be made like man, much more." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Holy Sonnet IX: If Poisonous Minerals, And If That Tree", "author": "John Donne", "lines": [ "If poisonous minerals, and if that tree", "Whose fruit threw death on else immortal us,", "If lecherous goats, if serpents envious", "Cannot be damned, alas, why should I be?", "Why should intent or reason, born in me,", "Make sins, else equal, in me more heinous?", "And Mercy being easy, and glorious", "To God; in his stern wrath, why threatens he?", "But who am I, that dare dispute with thee", "O God? Oh! of thine only worthy blood,", "And my tears, make a heavenly Lethean flood,", "And drown in it my sin's black memory;", "That thou remember them, some claim as debt,", "I think it mercy, if thou wilt forget." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Holy Sonnet XVII: Since She Whom I Loved", "author": "John Donne", "lines": [ "Since she whom I loved hath paid her last debt", "To Nature, and to hers, and my good is dead,", "And her soul early into heaven ravished,", "Wholly on heavenly things my mind is set.", "here the admiring her my mind did whet", "To seek thee, God; so streams do show the head;", "But though I have found thee, and thou my thirst hast fed,", "a holy thristy dropsy melts me yet.", "But why should I beg more love, whenas thou", "Dost woo my soul, for hers offering all thine:", "And dost not only fear lest I allow", "My love to saints and angels, things divine,", "but in they tender jealousy dost doubt", "lest the world, flesh, yea, devil put thee out." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Holy Sonnet XI: Spit In My Face You Jews, And Pierce My Side", "author": "John Donne", "lines": [ "Spit in my face you Jews, and pierce my side,", "Buffet, and scoff, scourge, and crucify me,", "For I have sinned, and sinned, and only he", "Who could do no iniquity hath died:", "But by my death can not be satisfied", "My sins, which pass the Jews' impiety:", "They killed once an inglorious man, but I", "Crucify him daily, being now glorified.", "Oh let me, then, his strange love still admire:", "Kings pardon, but he bore our punishment.", "And Jacob came clothed in vile harsh attire", "But to supplant, and with gainful intent:", "God clothed himself in vile man's flesh, that so", "He might be weak enough to suffer woe." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Holy Sonnet XVIII: Show me, dear Christ, thy Spouse, so bright and clear", "author": "John Donne", "lines": [ "Show me, dear Christ, thy Spouse, so bright and clear.", "What! is it She, which on the other shore", "Goes richly painted? or which, robbed and tore,", "Laments and mourns in Germany and here?", "Sleeps she a thousand, then peeps up one year?", "Is she self-truth and errs? now new, now outwore?", "Doth she, and did she, and shall she evermore", "On one, on seven, or on no hill appear?", "Dwells she with us, or like adventuring knights", "First travail we to seek and then make love?", "Betray, kind husband, thy spouse to our sights,", "And let mine amorous soul court thy mild dove,", "Who is most true and pleasing to thee then", "When she's embraced and open to most men." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Holy Sonnet V: I Am A Little World Made Cunningly", "author": "John Donne", "lines": [ "I am a little world made cunningly", "Of elements, and an angelic sprite;", "But black sin hath betrayed to endless night", "My worlds both parts, and (oh!) both parts must die.", "You which beyond that heaven which was most high", "Have found new spheres, and of new lands can write,", "Pour new seas in mine eyes, that so I might", "Drown my world with my weeping earnestly,", "Or wash it if it must be drowned no more:", "But oh it must be burnt! alas the fire", "Of lust and envy have burnt it heretofore,", "And made it fouler: Let their flames retire,", "And burn me, O Lord, with a fiery zeal", "Of Thee and Thy house, which doth in eating heal." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Holy Sonnet VI: This Is My Play's Last Scene, Here Heavens Appoint", "author": "John Donne", "lines": [ "This is my play's last scene, here heavens appoint", "My pilgrimage's last mile; and my race", "Idly, yet quickly run, hath this last pace,", "My span's last inch, my minute's latest point,", "And gluttonous death, will instantly unjoint", "My body and soul, and I shall sleep a space;", "But my ever-waking part shall see that face,", "Whose fear already shakes my every joint:", "Then, as my soul, t' heaven her first seat, takes flight,", "And earth-born body in the earth shall dwell,", "So fall my sins that all may have their right", "(To where they're bred, and would press me) to hell.", "Impute me righteous, thus purged of evil,", "For thus I leave the world, the flesh, the devil." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Holy Sonnet I: Tho Has Made Me", "author": "John Donne", "lines": [ "Tho has made me, and shall thy work decay?", "Repair me now, for now mine end doth haste;", "I run to death, and death meets me as fast,", "And all my pleasures are like yesterday.", "I dare not move my dim eyes any way,", "Despair behind, and death before doth cast", "Such terror, and my feeble flesh doth waste", "By sin in it, which it towards hell doth weigh.", "Only thou art above, and when towards thee", "By thy leave I can look, I rise again;", "But our old subtle foe so tempteth me", "That not one hour myself I can sustain.", "Thy grace may wing me to prevent his art,", "And thou like adamant draw mine iron heart." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Holy Sonnet XIII: What If This Present Were The World's Last Night?", "author": "John Donne", "lines": [ "What if this present were the world's last night?", "Mark in my heart, O soul, where thou dost dwell,", "The picture of Christ crucified, and tell", "Whether that countenance can thee affright,", "Tears in his eyes quench the amazing light,", "Blood fills his frowns, which from his pierced head fell.", "And can that tongue adjudge thee unto hell,", "Which prayed forgiveness for his foes' fierce spite?", "No, no; but as in my idolatry", "I said to all my profane mistresses,", "Beauty, of pity, foulness only is", "A sign of rigour: so I say to thee,", "To wicked spirits are horrid shapes assigned,", "This beauteous form assures a piteous mind." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Holy Sonnet X: Death Be Not Proud", "author": "John Donne", "lines": [ "Death, be not proud, though some have callèd thee", "Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;", "For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow", "Die not, poor death, nor yet canst thou kill me.", "From rest and sleep, which yet thy pictures be,", "Much pleasure, then from thee much more, must low", "And soonest our best men with thee do go,", "Rest of their bones and soul's delivery.", "Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings and desperate men", "And dost with poison, war and sickness dwell,", "And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well", "And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then ?", "One short sleep past, we wake eternally,", "And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 13", "author": "John Milton", "lines": [ "XIII", "", "To Mr. H. Lawes, on his Aires.", "", "Harry whose tuneful and well measur'd Song", "First taught our English Musick how to span", "Words with just note and accent, not to scan", "With Midas Ears, committing short and long;", "Thy worth and skill exempts thee from the throng,", "With praise enough for Envy to look wan;", "To after age thou shalt be writ the man,", "That with smooth aire couldst humor best our tongue", "Thou honour'st Verse, and Verse must send her wing", "To honour thee, the Priest of Phoebus Quire", "That tun'st their happiest lines in Hymn or Story", "Dante shall give Fame leave to set thee higher", "Then his Casella, whom he woo'd to sing", "Met in the milder shades of Purgatory.", "", "Note: 9 send] lend Cambridge Autograph MS." ], "linecount": "17" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXVI: Where Antique Woods", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "Where antique woods o'er-hang the mountains's crest,", "And mid-day glooms in solemn silence lour;", "Philosophy, go seek a lonely bow'r,", "And waste life's fervid noon in fancied rest.", "Go, where the bird of sorrow weaves her nest,", "Cooing, in sadness sweet, through night's dim hour;", "Go, cull the dew-drops from each potent flow'r", "That med'cines to the cold and reas'ning breast!", "Go, where the brook in liquid lapse steals by,", "Scarce heard amid'st the mingling echoes round,", "What time, the noon fades slowly down the sky,", "And slumb'ring zephyrs moan, in caverns bound:", "Be these thy pleasures, dull Philosophy!", "Nor vaunt the balm, to heal a lover's wound." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet X: Dang'rous to Hear", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "Dang'rous to hear, is that melodious tongue,", "And fatal to the sense those murd'rous eyes,", "Where in a sapphire sheath, Love's arrow lies,", "Himself conceal'd the crystal haunts among!", "Oft o'er that form, enamour'd have I hung,", "On that smooth cheek to mark the deep'ning dyes,", "While from that lip the fragrant breath would rise,", "That lip, like Cupid's bow with rubies strung!", "Still let me gaze upon that polish'd brow,", "O'er which the golden hair luxuriant plays;", "So, on the modest lily's leaves of snow", "The proud Sun revels in resplendent rays!", "Warm as his beams this sensate heart shall glow,", "Till life's last hour, with Phaon's self decays!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXVII: Oh! Ye Bright Stars", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "Oh! ye bright Stars! that on the Ebon fields", "Of Heav'n's empire, trembling seems to stand;", "'Till rosy morn unlocks her portal bland,", "Where the proud Sun his fiery banner wields!", "To flames, less fierce than mine, your lustre yields,", "And pow'rs more strong my countless tears command;", "Love strikes the feeling heart with ruthless hand,", "And only spares the breast which dullness shields!", "Since, then, capricious nature but bestows", "The fine affections of the soul, to prove", "A keener sense of desolating woes,", "Far, far from me the empty boast remove;", "If bliss from coldness, pain from passion flows,", "Ah! who would wish to feel, or learn to love?" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet. Inscribed to Her Grace the Duchess of Devonshire", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "'TIS NOT thy flowing hair of orient gold,", "Nor those bright eyes, like sapphire gems that glow;", "Nor cheek of blushing rose, nor breast of snow,", "The varying passions of the heart could hold:", "", "Those locks, too soon, shall own a silv'ry ray,", "Those radiant orbs their magic fires forego;", "Insatiate TIME shall steal those tints away,", "Warp thy fine form, and bend thy beauties low:", "", "But the rare wonders of thy polish'd MIND", "Shall mock the empty menace of decay;", "The GEM, that in thy SPOTLESS BREAST enshrin'd,", "Glows with the light of intellectual ray;", "Shall, like the Brilliant, scorn each borrow'd aid,", "And deck'd with native lustre NEVER FADE!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXXVIII: Oh Sigh", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "Oh Sigh! thou steal'st, the herald of the breast,", "The lover's fears, the lover's pangs to tell;", "Thou bid'st with timid grace the bosom swell,", "Cheating the day of joy, the night of rest!", "Oh! lucid Tears! with eloquence confest,", "Why on my fading cheek unheeded dwell,", "Meek, as the dew-drops on the flowret's bell", "By ruthless tempests to the green-sod prest.", "Fond sigh be hush'd! congeal, O! slighted tear!", "Thy feeble pow'rs the busy Fates control!", "Or if thy crystal streams again appear,", "Let them, like Lethe's, oblivion roll:", "For Love the tyrant plays, when hope is near,", "And she who flies the lover, chains the soul!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XVI: Delusive Hope", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "Delusive Hope! more transient than the ray", "That leads pale twilight to her dusky bed,", "O'er woodland glen, or breezy mountain's head,", "Ling'ring to catch the parting sigh of day.", "Hence with thy visionary charms, away!", "Nor o'er my path the flow'rs of fancy spread;", "Thy airy dreams on peaceful pillows shed,", "And weave for thoughtless brows, a garland gay.", "Farewell low vallies; dizzy cliffs, farewell!", "Small vagrant rills that murmur as ye flow:", "Dark bosom'd labyrinth and thorny dell;", "The task be mine all pleasures to forego;", "To hide, where meditation loves to dwell,", "And feed my soul, with luxury of woe!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XV: Now, Round My Favour'd Grot", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "Now, round my favor'd grot let roses rise,", "To strew the bank where Phaon wakes from rest;", "O! happy buds! to kiss his burning breast,", "And die, beneath the lustre of his eyes!", "Now, let the timbrels echo to the skies,", "Now damsels sprinkel cassia on his vest,", "With od'rous wreaths of constant myrtle drest,", "And flow'rs, deep tinted with the rainbow's dyes!", "From cups of porphyry let nectar flow,", "Rich as the perfume of Phoenicia's vine!", "Now let his dimpling cheek with rapture glow,", "While round his heart love's mystic fetters twine;", "And let the Grecian Lyre its aid bestow,", "In songs of triumph, to proclaim him mine!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XVII: Love Steals Unheeded", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "Love steals unheeded o'er the tranquil mind,", "As Summer breezes fan the sleeping main,", "Slow through each fibre creeps the subtle pain,", "'Till closely round the yielding bosom twin'd.", "Vain is the hope the magic to unbind,", "The potent mischief riots in the brain,", "Grasps ev'ry thought, and burns in ev'ry vein,", "'Till in the heart the Tyrant lives enshrin'd.", "Oh! Victor strong! bending the vanquish'd frame;", "Sweet is the thraldom that thou bid'st us prove!", "And sacred is the tear thy victims claim,", "For blest are those whom sighs of sorrow move!", "Then nymphs beware how ye profane my name,", "Nor blame my weakness, till like me ye love!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXIX: Farewell, Ye Tow'ring Cedars", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "Farewell, ye tow'ring Cedars, in whose shade,", "Lull'd by the Nightingale, I sunk to rest,", "While spicy breezes hover'd o'er my breast", "To fan my cheek, in deep'ning tints array'd;", "While am'rous insects, humming round me, play'd,", "Each flow'r forsook, of prouder sweets in quest;", "Of glowing lips, in humid fragrance drest,", "That mock'd the Sunny Hybla's vaunted aid!", "Farewell, ye limpid rivers! Oh! farewell!", "No more shall Sappho to your grots repair;", "No more your white waves to her bosom swell,", "Or your dank weeds, entwine her floating hair;", "As erst, when Venus in her sparry cell", "Wept, to behold a brighter goddess there!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXXIV: Venus! To Thee", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "Venus! to thee, the Lesbian Muse shall sing,", "The song, which Myttellenian youths admir'd,", "when Echo, am'rous of the strain inspir'd,", "Bade the wild rocks with madd'ning plaudits ring!", "Attend my pray'r! O! Queen of rapture! bring", "To these fond arms, he, whom my soul has fir'd;", "From these fond arms remov'd; yet, still desir'd,", "Though love, exulting, spreads his varying wing!", "Oh! source of ev'ry joy! of ev'ry care", "Blest Venus! Goddess of the zone divine!", "To Phaon's bosom, Phaon's victim bear;", "So shall her warmest, tend'rest vows be thine!", "For Venus, Sappho shall a wreath prepare,", "And Love be crown'd, immortal as the Nine!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXXV: What Means the Mist", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "What means the mist opaque that veils these eyes;", "Why does yon threat'ning tempest shroud the day?", "Why does thy altar, Venus, fade away,", "And on my breast the dews of horror rise?", "Phaon is false! be dim ye orient Skies;", "And let black Erebus succeed your ray;", "Let clashing thunders roll, and lightning play;", "Phaon is false! and hopeless Sappho dies!", "\"Farewell! my Lesbian love, you might have said,\"", "Such sweet remembrance had some pity prov'd,", "\"Or coldly this, farewell, Oh! Lesbian maid!\"", "No task severe, for one so fondly lov'd!", "The gentle thought had sooth'd my wand'ring shade,", "From life's dark valley, and its thorns remov'd!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XLIV: Here Droops the Muse", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "Here droops the muse! while from her glowing mind,", "Celestial Sympathy, with humid eye,", "Bids the light Sylph capricious Fancy fly,", "Time's restless wings with transient flowr's to bind!", "For now, with folded arms and head inclin'd,", "Reflection pours the deep and frequent sigh,", "O'er the dark scroll of human destiny,", "Where gaudy buds and wounding thorns are twin'd.", "O! Sky-born VIRTUE! sacred is thy name!", "And though mysterious Fate, with frown severe,", "Oft decorates thy brows with wreaths of Fame,", "Bespangled o'er with sorrow's chilling tear!", "Yet shalt thou more than mortal raptures claim,", "The brightest planet of th' ETERNAL SPHERE!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XLIII: While From the Dizzy Precipice", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "While from the dizzy precipice I gaze,", "The world receding from my pensive eyes,", "High o'er my head the tyrant eagle flies,", "Cloth'd in the sinking sun's transcendent blaze!", "The meek-ey'd moon, 'midst clouds of amber plays", "As o'er the purpling plains of light she hies,", "Till the last stream of living lustre dies,", "And the cool concave owns her temper'd rays!", "So shall this glowing, palpitating soul,", "Welcome returning Reason's placid beam,", "While o'er my breast the waves Lethean roll,", "To calm rebellious Fancy's fev'rish dream;", "Then shall my Lyre disdain love's dread control,", "And loftier passions, prompt the loftier theme!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXXVII: When, in the Gloomy Mansion", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "When, in the gloomy mansion of the dead,", "This with'ring heart, this faded form shall sleep;", "When these fond eyes, at length shall cease to weep,", "And earth's cold lap receive this fev'rish head;", "Envy shall turn away, a tear to shed,", "And Time's obliterating pinions sweep", "The spot, where poets shall their vigils keep,", "To mourn and wander near my freezing bed!", "Then, my pale ghost, upon th' Elysian shore,", "Shall smile, releas'd from ev'ry mortal care;", "Whil, doom'd love's victim to repine no more,", "My breast shall bathe in endless rapture there!", "Ah! no!my restless shade would still deplore,", "Nor taste that bliss, which Phaon did not share." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXII: Wild Is the Foaming Sea", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "Wild is the foaming Sea! The surges roar!", "And nimbly dart the livid lightnings round!", "On the rent rock the angry waves rebound;", "Ah me! the less'ning bark is seen no more!", "Along the margin of the trembling shore,", "Loud as the blast my frantic cries shall sound,", "My storm-drench'd limbs the flinty fragments wound,", "And o'er my bleeding breast the billows pour!", "Phaon! return! ye winds, O! waft the strain", "To his swift bark; ye barb'rous waves forbear!", "Taunt not the anguish of a lover's brain,", "Nor feebly emulate the soul's despair!", "For howling winds, and foaming seas, in vain", "Assail the breast, when passion rages there!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXXIII: I Wake", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "I wake! delusive phantoms hence, away!", "Tempt not the weakness of a lover's breast;", "The softest breeze can shake the halcyon's nest,", "And lightest clouds o'ercast the dawning ray!", "'Twas but a vision! Now, the star of day", "Peers, like a gem on Aetna's burning crest!", "Wellcome, ye Hills, with golden vintage drest;", "Sicilian forests brown, and vallies gay!", "A mournful stranger, from the Lesbian Isle,", "Not strange, in loftiest eulogy of Song!", "She, who could teach the Stoic's cheek to smile,", "Thaw the cold heart, and chain the wond'ring throng,", "Can find no balm, love's arrows to beguile;", "Ah! Sorrows known too soon! and felt too long!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXX: O'er the Tall Cliff", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "O'er the tall cliff that bounds the billowy main", "Shad'wing the surge that sweeps the lonely strand,", "While the thin vapours break along the sand,", "Day's harbinger unfolds the liquid plain.", "The rude Sea murmurs, mournful as the strain", "That love-lorn minstrels strike with trembling hand,", "While from their green beds rise the Syren band", "With tongues aerial to repeat my pain!", "The vessel rocks beside the pebbly shore,", "The foamy curls its gaudy trappings lave;", "Oh! Bark propitious! bear me gently o'er,", "Breathe soft, ye winds; rise slow, O! swelling wave!", "Lesbos; these eyes shall meet thy sands no more:", "I fly, to seek my Lover, or my Grave!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXVIII: Weak Is the Sophistry", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "Weak is the sophistry, and vain the art", "That whispers patience to the mind's despair!", "That bids reflection bathe the wounds of care,", "While Hope, with pleasing phantoms, soothes their smart.", "For mem'ry still, reluctant to depart", "From the dear spot, once rich in prospects fair,", "Bids the fond soul enamour'd there,", "And its least charm is grateful to the heart!", "He never lov'd, who could not muse and sigh,", "Spangling the sacred turf with frequent tears,", "Where the small rivulet, that ripples by,", "Recalls the scenes of past and happier years,", "When, on its banks he watch'd the speaking eye,", "And one sweet smile o'erpaid an age of fears!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet to the Memory of Miss Maria Linley", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "So bends beneath the storm yon balmy flow'r,", "Whose spicy blossoms once perfum'd the gale;", "So press'd with tears reclines yon lily pale,", "Obedient to the rude and beating show'r.", "", "Still is the LARK, that hov'ring o'er yon spray,", "With jocund carol usher'd in the morn;", "And mute the NIGHTINGALE, whose tender lay", "Melted the feeling mind with sounds forlorn:", "", "More sweet, MARIA, was thy plaintive strain!", "That strain is o'er; but mem'ry ne'er shall fade,", "When erst it cheer'd grey twilight's dreary shade,", "And charm'd the sorrow-stricken soul from pain;", "STILL, STILL, melodious maid, thy dulcet song", "Shall breathe, immortal, on an ANGEL'S TONGUE!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXXII: Blest As the Gods", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "Blest as the Gods! Sicilian Maid is he,", "The youth whose soul thy yielding graces charm;", "Who bound, O! thraldom sweet! by beauty's arm,", "In idle dalliance fondly sports with thee!", "Blest as the Gods! that iv'ry throne to see,", "Throbbing with transports, tender, timid, warm!", "While round thy fragrant lips zephyrs swarm!", "As op'ning buds attract the wand'ring Bee!", "Yet, short is youthful passion's fervid hour;", "Soon, shall another clasp the beauteous boy;", "Soon, shall a rival prove, in that gay bow'r,", "The pleasing torture of excessive joy!", "The Bee flies sicken'd from the sweetest flow'r;", "The lightning's shaft, but dazzles to destroy!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XIX: Farewell, Ye Coral Caves", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "Farewell, ye coral caves, ye pearly sands,", "Ye waving woods that crown yon lofty steep;", "Farewell, ye Nereides of the glitt'ring deep,", "Ye mountain tribes, ye fawns, ye sylvan bands:", "On the bleak rock your frantic minstrel stands,", "Each task forgot, save that, to sigh and weep;", "In vain the strings her burning fingers sweep,", "No more her touch, the Grecian Lyre commands!", "In Circe's cave my faithless Phaon's laid,", "Her daemons dress his brow with opiate flow'rs;", "Or, loit'ring in the brown pomgranate shade,", "Beguile with am'rous strains the fateful hours;", "While Sappho's lips, to paly ashes fade,", "And sorrow's cank'ring worm her heart devours!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXXIX: Prepare Your Wreaths", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "Prepare your wreaths, Aonian maids divine,", "To strew the tranquil bed where I shall sleep;", "In tears, the myrtle and the laurel steep,", "And let Erato's hand the trophies twine.", "No parian marble, there, with labour'd line,", "Shall bid the wand'ring lover stay to weep;", "There holy silence shall her vigils keep.", "Save, when the nightingale such woes as mine", "Shall sadly sing; as twilight's curtains spread,", "There shall the branching lotos widely wave,", "Sprinkling soft show'rs upon the lily's head,", "Sweet drooping emblem for a lover's grave!", "And there shall Phaon pearls of pity shed,", "To gem the vanquish'd heart he scorn'd to save!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XVIII: Why Art Thou Chang'd?", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "Why art thou chang'd? O Phaon! tell me why?", "Love flies reproach, when passion feels decay;", "Or, I would paint the raptures of that day,", "When, in sweet converse, mingling sigh with sigh,", "I mark'd the graceful languor of thine eye", "As on a shady bank entranc'd we lay:", "O! Eyes! whose beamy radiance stole away", "As stars fade trembling from the burning sky!", "Why art thou chang'd? dear source of all my woes!", "Though dark my bosom's tint, through ev'ry vein", "A ruby tide of purest lustre flows,", "Warm'd by thy love, or chill'd by thy disdain;", "And yet no bliss this sensate Being knows;", "Ah! why is rapture so allied to pain?" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXV: Can'st Thou Forget", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "Can'st thou forget, O! Idol of my Soul!", "Thy Sappho's voice, her form, her dulcet Lyre!", "That melting ev'ry thought to fond desire,", "Bade sweet delerium o'er thy senses roll?", "Can'st thou, so soon, renounce the blest control", "That calm'd with pity's tears love's raging fire,", "While Hope, slow breathing on the trembling wire,", "In every note with soft persuasion stole?", "Oh! Sov'reign of my heart! return! return!", "For me no spring appears, no summers bloom,", "No Sun-beams glitter, and no altars burn!", "The mind's dark winter of eternal gloom,", "Shews 'midst the waste a solitary urn,", "A blighted laurel, and a mould'ring tomb!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXIII: To Aetna's Scorching Sands", "author": "Robinson", "lines": [ "To AEtna's scorching sands my Phaon flies!", "False Youth! can other charms attractive prove?", "Say, can Sicilian loves thy passions move,", "Play round thy heart, and fix thy fickle eyes,", "While in despair the Lesbian Sappho dies?", "Has Spring for thee a crown of poppies wove,", "Or dost thou languish in th' Idalian grove,", "Whose altar kindles, fann'd by Lover's sighs?", "Ah! think, that while on AEtna's shores you stray,", "A fire, more fierce than AEtna's, fills my breast;", "Nor deck Sicilian nymphs with garlands gay,", "While Sappho's brows with cypress wreaths are drest;", "Let one kind word my weary woes repay,", "Or, in eternal slumbers bid them rest." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXI: A Witless Galant", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "A witless gallant a young wench that woo'd", "(Yet his dull spirit her not one jot could move),", "Entreated me, as e'er I wish'd his good,", "To write him but one sonnet to his love;", "When I, as fast as e'er my pen could trot,", "Pour'd out what first from quick invention came,", "Nor never stood one word thereof to blot,", "Much like his wit that was to use the same;", "But with my verses he his mistress won,", "Which doted on the dolt beyond all measure.", "But see, for you to Heav'n for phrase I run,", "And ransack all Apollo's golden treasure;", "Yet by my froth this fool his love obtains,", "And I lose you for all my love and pains." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXII: Love, Banish'd Heav'n", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "Love, banish'd Heav'n, on Earth was held in scorn,", "Wand'ring abroad in need and beggary,", "And wanting friends, though of a Goddess born,", "Yet crav'd the alms of such as passed by.", "I, like a man devout and charitable,", "Clothed the naked, lodg'd this wand'ring guest,", "With sighs and tears still furnishing his table", "With what might make the miserable blest.", "But this ungrateful, for my good desert,", "Entic'd my thoughts against me to conspire,", "Who gave consent to steal away my heart,", "And set my breast, his lodging, on a fire.", "Well, well, my friends, when beggars grow thus bold,", "No marvel then though charity grow cold." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XI: You Not Alone", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "You not alone, when you are still alone,", "O God, from you that I could private be.", "Since you one were, I never since was one;", "Since you in me, my self since out of me,", "Transported from my self into your being;", "Though either distant, present yet to either,", "Senseless with too much joy, each other seeing,", "And only absent when we are together.", "Give me my self and take your self again,", "Devise some means but how I may forsake you;", "So much is mine that doth with you remain,", "That, taking what is mine, with me I take you;", "You do bewitch me; O, that I could fly", "From my self you, or from your own self I." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XLII: Some Men There Be", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "Some men there be which like my method well", "And much commend the strangeness of my vein;", "Some say I have a passing pleasing strain;", "Some say that im my humor I excel;", "Some, who not kindly relish my conceit,", "They say, as poets do, I use to feign,", "And in bare words paint out my passion's pain.", "Thus sundry men their sundry words repeat;", "I pass not, I, how men affected be,", "Nor who commends or discommends my verse;", "It pleaseth me, if I my woes rehearse,", "And in my lines if she my love may see.", "Only my comfort still consists in this,", "Writing her praise I cannot write amiss." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXXV: Some, Misbelieving", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "To Miracle", "", "Some, misbelieving and profane in love,", "When I do speak of miracles by thee,", "May say, that thou art flattered by me,", "Who only write my skill in verse to prove.", "See miracles, ye unbelieving, see", "A dumb-born Muse made t'express the mind,", "A cripple hand to write, yet lame by kind,", "One by thy name, the other touching thee;", "Blind were mine eyes, till they were seen of thine,", "And mine ears deaf by thy fame healed be,", "My vices cur'd by virtues sprung from thee,", "My hopes reviv'd, which long in grave had lien,", "All unclean thoughts, foul spirits, cast out in me", "Only by virtue that proceeds from thee." ], "linecount": "15" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXVI: I Ever Love", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "To Despair", "", "I ever love where never hope appears,", "Yet hope draws on my never-hoping care,", "And my life's hope would die, but for despair;", "My never-certain joy breeds ever-certain fears;", "Uncertain dread gives wings unto my hope,", "Yet my hope's wings are laden so with fear", "As they cannot ascend to my hope's sphere;", "Though fear gives them more than a heav'nly scope,", "Yet this large room is bounded with despair;", "So my love is still fetter'd with vain hope,", "And liberty deprives him of his scope,", "And thus am I imprison'd in the air.", "Then, sweet despair, awhile hold up thy head,", "Or all my hope for sorrow will be dead." ], "linecount": "15" }, { "title": "Sonnet XL: My Heart the Anvil", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "My heart the anvil where my thoughts do beat;", "My words the hammers fashioning my desire;", "My breast the forge including all the heat;", "Love is the fuel which maintains the fire;", "My sighs the bellows which the flame increaseth,", "Filling mine ears with noise and nightly groaning;", "Toiling with pain, my labor never ceaseth,", "In grievous passions my woes still bemoaning;", "My eyes with tears against the fire striving,", "Whose scorching gleed my heart to cinders turneth,", "But with these drops the flame again reviving,", "Still more and more it to my torment turneth.", "With Sisyphus thus do I roll the stone,", "And turn the wheel with damned Ixion." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet LVI: When Like an Eaglet", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "When like an eaglet I first found my Love,", "For that the virtue I thereof would know,", "Upon the nest I set it forth to prove", "If it were of that kingly kind or no;", "But it no sooner say my Sun appear,", "But on her rays with open eyes it stood,", "To show that I had hatch'd it for the air", "And rightly came from that brave mounting brood;", "And, when the plumes were summ'd with sweet desire,", "To prove the pinions it ascends the skies;", "Do what I could, it needsly would aspire", "To my Soul's Sun, those two celestial eyes.", "Thus from my breast, where it was bred alone,", "It after thee is, like an eaglet, flown." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet LIII: Clear Anker", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "Another to the River Anker", "", "Clear Anker, on whose silver-sanded shore", "My soul-shrin'd saint, my fair Idea, lies,", "O blessed brook, whose milk-white swans adore", "The crystal stream refined by her eyes,", "Where sweet myrrh-breathing Zephyr in the Spring", "Gently distils his nectar-dropping showers,", "Where nightingales in Arden sit and sing", "Among the dainty dew-impearled flowers;", "Say thus, fair Brook, when thou shalt see thy Queen,", "\"Lo, here thy shepherd spent his wand'ring years,", "And in these shades, dear nymph, he oft hath been,", "And here to thee he sacrific'd his tears.\"", "Fair Arden, thou my Tempe art alone,", "And thou, sweet Anker, art my Helicon." ], "linecount": "15" }, { "title": "Sonnet XIX: You Cannot Love", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "To Humor", "", "You cannot love, my pretty heart, and why?", "There was a time you told me that you would;", "But now again you will the same deny,", "If it might please you, would to God you could.", "What, will you hate? Nay, that you will not, neither.", "Nor love nor hate, how then? What will you do?", "What, will you keep a mean then betwixt either,", "Or will you love me and yet hate me, too?", "Yet serves this not. What next? What other shift?", "You will, and will not; what a coil is here.", "I see your craft, now I perceive your drift,", "And all this while I was mistaken there;", "Your love and hate is this, I now do prove you:", "You love in hate, by hate to make me love you." ], "linecount": "15" }, { "title": "Sonnet XVII: Stay, Speedy Time", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "To Time", "", "Stay, speedy Time, behold, before thou pass,", "From age to age what thou hast sought to see,", "One in whom all the excellencies be,", "In whom Heav'n looks itself as in a glass.", "Time, look thyself in this tralucent glass,", "And thy youth past in this pure mirror see,", "As the world's beauty in his infancy,", "What is was then, and thou before it was.", "Pass on, and to posterity tell this,", "Yet see thou tell but truly what hath been;", "Say to our nephews that thou once hast seen", "In perfect human shape all heav'nly bliss,", "And bid them mourn, nay more, despair with thee,", "That she is gone, her like again to see." ], "linecount": "15" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXXIV: Marvel Not, Love", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "To Admiration", "", "Marvel not, Love, though I thy power admire,", "Ravish'd a world beyond the farthest thought,", "And knowing more than ever hath been taught,", "That I am only starv'd in my desire.", "Marvel not, Love, though I thy power admire,", "Aiming at things exceeding all perfection,", "To Wisdom's self to minister correction,", "That I am only starv'd in my desire.", "Marvel not, Love, though I thy power admire,", "Though my conceit I further seem to bend", "Than possibly invention can extend,", "And yet am only starv'd in my desire.", "If thou wilt wonder, here's the wonder, Love:", "That this to me doth yet no wonder prove." ], "linecount": "15" }, { "title": "Sonnet XLVI: Plain-Path'd Experience", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "Plain-path'd Experience, th'unlearned's guide,", "Her simple followers evidently shows", "Sometimes what Schoolmen scarcely can decide,", "Nor yet wise Reason absolutely knows.", "In making trial of a murther wrought,", "If the vile actors of the heinous deed", "Near the dead body happily be brought,", "Oft it hath been prov'd the breathless corse will bleed.", "She's coming near, that my poor heart hath slain,", "Long since departed, to the world no more,", "The ancient wounds no longer can contain,", "But fall to bleeding as they did before.", "But what of this? Should she to death be led,", "It furthers justice, but helps not the dead." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet LXI: Since There's No Help", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "Since there's no help, come, let us kiss and part,", "Nay, I have done, you get no more of me,", "And I am glad, yea, glad with all my heart,", "That thus so cleanly I myself can free.", "Shake hands for ever, cancel all our vows,", "And when we meet at any time again", "Be it not seen in either of our brows", "That we one jot of former love retain.", "Now at the last gasp of Love's latest breath,", "When, his pulse failing, Passion speechless lies,", "When Faith is kneeling by his bed of death,", "And Innocence is closing up his eyes,", "Now, if thou wouldst, when all have giv'n him over,", "From death to life thou might'st him yet recover." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XII: That Learned Father", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "To the Soul", "", "That learned Father, who so firmly proves", "The Soul of man immortal and divine,", "And doth the several offices define:", "Anima - Gives her that name, as she the Body moves;", "Amor - Then is she Love, embracing charity;", "Animus - Moving a Will in us, it is the Mind", "Mens - Retaining knowledge, still the same in kind;", "Memoria - As intellectual, it is Memory;", "Ratio - In judging, Reason only is her name;", "Sensus - In speedy apprehension, it is Sense;", "Conscientia - In right or wrong, they call her Conscience;", "Spiritus - The Spirit, when it to Godward doth inflame.", "These of the Soul the several functions be,", "Which my Heart, lighten'd by thy love, doth see." ], "linecount": "15" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXII: With Fools and Children", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "To Folly", "", "With fools and children, good discretion bears;", "Then, honest people, bear with Love and me,", "Nor older yet, nor wiser made by years,", "Amongst the rest of fools and children be;", "Love, still a baby, plays with gauds and toys,", "And, like a wanton, sports with every feather,", "And idiots still are running after boys,", "Then fools and children fitt'st to go together.", "He still as young as when he first was born,", "No wiser I than when as young as he;", "You that behold us, laugh us not to scorn;", "Give Nature thanks you are not such as we.", "Yet fools and children sometimes tell in play", "Some, wise in show, more fools indeed than they." ], "linecount": "15" }, { "title": "Sonnet IV: Bright Star of Beauty", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "Bright star of beauty, on whose eyelids sit", "A thousand nymph-like and enamour'd Graces,", "The Goddesses of Memory and Wit,", "Which there in order take their several places;", "In whose dear bosom sweet delicious Love", "Lays down his quiver, which he once did bear,", "Since he that blessed Paradise did prove,", "And leaves his mother's lap to sport him there.", "Let others strive to entertain with words;", "My soul is of a braver metal made;", "I hold that vile which vulgar wit affords;", "In me's that faith which Time cannot invade.", "Let what I praise be still made good by you;", "Be you most worthy, whilst I am most true." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet LVIII: In Former Times", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "In former times such as had store of coin,", "In wars at home, or when for conquests bound,", "For fear that some their treasure should purloin,", "Gave it to keep to spirits within the ground,", "And to attend it them as strongly tied", "Till they return'd; home when they never came,", "Such as by art to get the same have tried", "From the strong Spirit by no means force the same;", "Nearer men come, that further flies away,", "Striving to hold it strongly in the deep.", "E'en as this Spirit, so you alone do play", "With those rich beauties Heav'n gives you to keep;", "Pity, so left to the coldness of your blood,", "Not to avail you, nor do the others good." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXXI: Methinks I See", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "To the Critic", "", "Methinks I see some crooked mimic jeer,", "And tax my Muse with this fantastic grace,", "Turning my papers asks, \"What have we here?\"", "Making withal some filthy antic face.", "I fear no censure, nor what thou canst say,", "Nor shall my spirit one jot of vigor lose;", "Think'st thou my wit shall keep the pack-horse way", "That every dudgen low invention goes?", "Since sonnets thus in bundles are imprest", "And every drudge doth dull our satiate ear,", "Think'st thou my love shall in those rags be drest", "That every dowdy, every trull, doth wear?", "Up to my pitch no common judgement flies;", "I scorn all earthly dung-bred scarabies." ], "linecount": "15" }, { "title": "Sonnet VIII: There's Nothing Grieves Me", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "There's nothing grieves me, but that Age should haste,", "That in my days I may not see thee old,", "That where those two clear sparkling eyes are plac'd", "Only two loop-holes then I might behold;", "That lovely, arched, ivory, polish'd brow", "Defac'd with wrinkles that I might but see;", "Thy dainty hair, so curl'd and crisped now,", "Like grizzled moss upon some aged tree;", "Thy cheek, now flush with roses, sunk and lean;", "Thy lips with age as any wafer thin;", "Thy pearly teeth out of thy head so clean", "That, when thou feed'st, thy nose shall touch thy chin.", "These lines that now thou scorn'st, which should delight thee,", "Then would I make thee read but to despite thee." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet VII: Love in a Humour", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "Love in a humor play'd the prodigal", "And bade my Senses to a solemn feast;", "Yet, more to grace the company withal,", "Invites my Heart to be the chiefest guest.", "No other drink would serve this glutton's turn", "But precious tears distilling from mine eyne,", "Which with my sighs this epicure doth burn,", "Quaffing carouses in this costly wine;", "Where, in his cups o'ercome with foul excess,", "Straightways he plays a swaggering ruffian's part,", "And at the banquet in his drunkenness", "Slew his dear friend, my kind and truest Heart.", "A gentle warning, friends, thus may you see", "What 'tis to keep a drunkard company." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXV: O Why Should Nature", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "O why should Nature niggardly restrain", "That foreign nations relish not our tongue?", "Else should my lines glide on the waves of Rhene", "And crown the Pyrens with my living song.", "But, bounded thus, to Scotland get you forth,", "Thence take you wing unto the Orcades;", "There let my verse get glory in the North,", "Making my sighs to thaw the frozen seas;", "And let the Bards within that Irish isle,", "To whom my Muse with fiery wing shall pass,", "Call back the stiff-neck'd rebels from exile,", "And mollify the slaught'ring Gallowglass;", "And when my flowing numbers they rehearse,", "Let wolves and bears be charmed with my verse." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXXVI: Thou Purblind Boy", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "Cupid Conjured", "", "Thou purblind boy, since thou hast been so slack", "To wound her heart, whose eyes have wounded me,", "And suffer'd her to glory in my wrack,", "Thus to my aid I lastly conjure thee:", "By hellish Styx, by which the Thund'rer swears,", "By thy fair mother's unavoided power,", "By Hecate's names, by Proserpine's sad tears", "When she was rapt to the infernal bower,", "By thine own loved Psyche, by the fires", "Spent on thine alters flaming up to heav'n,", "By all true lovers' sighs, vows, and desires,", "By all the wounds that ever thou hast giv'n:", "I conjure thee by all that I have nam'd", "To make her love, or, Cupid, be thou damn'd." ], "linecount": "15" }, { "title": "Sonnet LXII: When First I Ended", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "When first I ended, then I first began,", "The more I travell'd, further from my rest,", "Where most I lost, there most of all I wan,", "Pined with hunger rising from a feast.", "Methinks I fly, yet want I legs to go,", "Wise in conceit, in act a very sot,", "Ravish'd with joy amid a hell of woe;", "What most I seem, that surest am I not.", "I build my hopes a world above the sky,", "Yet with the mole I creep into the earth;", "In plenty I am starv'd with penury,", "And yet I surfeit in the greatest dearth.", "I have, I want, despair and yet desire,", "Burn'd in a sea of ice and drown'd amidst a fire." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet I: Like an Advent'rous Seafarer", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "Like an advent'rous seafarer am I,", "Who hath some long and dang'rous voyage been,", "And, call'd to tell of his discovery,", "How far he sail'd, what countries he had seen;", "Proceeding from the port whence he put forth,", "Shows by his compass how his course he steer'd,", "When East, when West, when South, and when by North,", "As how the Pole to every place was rear'd,", "What capes he doubled, of what Continent,", "The gulfs and straits that strangely he had past,", "Where most becalm'd, where with foul weather spent,", "And on what rocks in peril to be cast:", "Thus in my love, Time calls me to relate", "My tedious travels and oft-varying fate." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet LII: What? Dost Thou Mean", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "What? Dost thou mean to cheat me of my heart?", "To take all mine and give me none again?", "Or have thine eyes such magic or that art", "That what they get they ever do retain?", "Play not the tyrant, but take some remorse;", "Rebate thy spleen, if but for pity's sake;", "Or, cruel, if thou canst not, let us 'scourse,", "And, for one piece of thine, my whole heart take.", "But what of pity do I speak to thee,", "Whose breast is proof against complaint or prayer?", "Or can I think what my reward shall be", "From that proud beauty, which was my betrayer?", "What talk I of a heart, when thou hast none?", "Or, if thou hast, it is a flinty one." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet LIV: Yet Read at Last", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "Yet read at last the story of my woe,", "The dreary abstracts of my endless cares,", "With my life's sorrow interlined so,", "Smok'd with my sighs and blotted with my tears,", "The sad memorials of my miseries,", "Penn'd in the grief of mine afflicted ghost,", "My life's complaint in doleful elegies,", "With so pure love as Time could never boast.", "Receive the incense which I offer here,", "By my strong faith ascending to thy fame,", "My zeal, my hope, my vows, my praise, my prayer,", "My soul's oblation to thy sacred name,", "Which name my Muse to highest heav'ns shall raise", "By chaste desire, true love, and virtuous praise." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XV: Since to Obtain Thee", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "His Remedy for Love", "", "Since to obtain thee nothing will be stead,", "I have a med'cine that shall cure my love,", "The powder of her heart dried, when she is dead,", "That gold nor honor ne'er had power to move,", "Mixt with her tears, that ne'er her true-love crost", "Nor at fifteen ne'er long'd to be a bride,", "Boil'd with her sighs in giving up the ghost,", "That for her late deceased husband died;", "Into the same then let a woman breathe,", "That, being chid, did never word reply,", "With one thrice-married's prayers, that did bequeath", "A legacy to stale virginity.", "If this receipt have not the power to win me,", "Little I'll say, but think the Devil's in me." ], "linecount": "15" }, { "title": "Sonnet LIX: As Love and I", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "As Love and I, late harbor'd in one inn,", "With proverbs thus each other entertain:", "\"In Love there is no lack,\" thus I begin;", "\"Fair words make fools,\" replieth he again;", "\"Who spares to speak doth spare to speed,\" quoth I;", "\"As well,\" saith he, \"too forward as too slow\";", "\"Fortune assists the boldest,\" I reply;", "\"A hasty man,\" quoth he, \"ne'er wanted woe\";", "\"Labor is light where Love,\" quoth I, \"doth pay\";", "Saith he, \"Light burden's heavy, if far borne\";", "Quoth I, \"The main lost, cast the bye away\";", "\"You have spun a fair thread,\" he replies in scorn.", "And having thus awhile each other thwarted,", "Fools as we met, so fools again we parted." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet X: To Nothing Fitter", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "To nothing fitter can I thee compare", "Than to the son of some rich penny-father,", "Who, having now brought on his end with care,", "Leaves to his son all he had heap'd together;", "This new rich novice, lavish of his chest,", "To one man gives, doth on another spend,", "Then here he riots, yet among the rest", "Haps to lend some to one true honest friend.", "Thy gifts thou in obscurity dost waste,", "False friends thy kindness, born but to deceive thee,", "Thy love that is on the unworthy plac'd,", "Time hath thy beauty, which with age will leave thee;", "Only that little which to me was lent", "I give thee back, when all the rest is spent." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXXVIII: Sitting Alone, Love", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "Sitting alone, Love bids me go and write;", "Reason plucks back, commanding me to stay,", "Boasting that she doth still direct the way,", "Or else Love were unable to endite.", "Love, growing angry, vexed at the spleen", "And scorning Reason's maimed argument,", "Straight taxeth Reason, wanting to invent,", "Where she with Love conversing hath not been.", "Reason, reproached with this coy disdain,", "Despiteth Love, and laugheth at her folly;", "And Love, condemning Reason's reason wholly,", "Thought it in weight too light by many'a grain.", "Reason, put back, doth out of sight remove,", "And Love alone picks reason out of love." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "To the Reader of These Sonnets", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "Into these Loves who but for Passion looks,", "At this first sight here let him lay them by", "And seek elsewhere, in turning other books,", "Which better may his labor satisfy.", "No far-fetch'd sigh shall ever wound my breast,", "Love from mine eye a tear shall never wring,", "Nor in Ah me's my whining sonnets drest;", "A libertine, fantasticly I sing.", "My verse is the true image of my mind,", "Ever in motion, still desiring change,", "And as thus to variety inclin'd,", "So in all humours sportively I range.", "My Muse is rightly of the English strain,", "That cannot long one fashion entertain." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XLI: Why Do I Speak of Joy", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "Love's Lunacy", "", "Why do I speak of joy, or write of love,", "When my heart is the very den of horror,", "And in my soul the pains of Hell I prove,", "With all his torments and infernal terror?", "What should I say? What yet remains to do?", "My brain is dry with weeping all too long,", "My sighs be spent in uttering my woe,", "And I want words wherewith to tell my wrong;", "But, still distracted in Love's lunacy,", "And, bedlam-like, thus raging in my grief,", "Now rail upon her hair, then on her eye,", "Now call her Goddess, then I call her thief,", "Now I deny her, then I do confess her,", "Now do I curse her, then again I bless her." ], "linecount": "15" }, { "title": "Sonnet IX: As Other Men", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "As other men, so I myself do muse", "Why in this sort I wrest invention so,", "And why these giddy metaphors I use,", "Leaving the path the greater part do go.", "I will resolve you: I am lunatic,", "And ever this in madmen you shall find,", "What they last thought of when the brain grew sick", "In most distraction they keep that in mind.", "Thus talking idly in this bedlam fit,", "Reason and I, you must conceive, are twain;", "\"Tis nine years now since first I lost my wit;", "Bear with me then, though troubled be my brain.", "With diet and correction men distraught", "(Not too far past) may to their wits be brought." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XVI: Mongst All the Creatures", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "An Allusion to the Phoenix", "", "'Mongst all the creatures in this spacious round", "Of the birds' kind, the Phoenix is alone,", "Which best by you of living things is known;", "None like to that, none like to you is found.", "Your beauty is the hot and splend'rous sun,", "The precious spices be your chaste desire,", "Which being kindled by that heav'nly fire,", "Your life so like the Phoenix's begun;", "Yourself thus burned in that sacred flame,", "With so rare sweetness all the heav'ns perfuming,", "Again increasing as you are consuming,", "Only by dying born the very same;", "And, wing'd by fame, you to the stars ascend,", "So you of time shall live beyond the end." ], "linecount": "15" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXXIX: Some, When in Rhyme", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "Some, when in rhyme they of their loves do tell,", "With flames and lightnings their exordiums paint;", "Some call on Heav'n, some invocate on Hell,", "And Fates and Furies with their woes acquaint.", "Elysium is too high a seat for me;", "I will not come in Styx or Phlegethon;", "The thrice-three Muses but too wanton be;", "Like they that lust, I care not; I will none.", "Spiteful Erinnys frights me with her looks;", "My manhood dares not with foul Ate mell;", "I quake to look on Hecate's charming books;", "I still fear bugbears in Apollo's cell.", "I pass not for Minerva nor Astraea;", "Only I call on my divine Idea." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XX: An Evil Spirit", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "An evil spirit, your beauty haunts me still,", "Wherewith, alas, I have been long possest,", "Which ceaseth not to tempt me to each ill,", "Nor gives me once but one poor minute's rest;", "In me it speaks, whether I sleep or wake,", "And when by means to drive it out I try,", "With greater torments then it me doth take,", "And tortures me in most extremity;", "Before my face it lays down my despairs,", "And hastes me on unto a sudden death,", "Now tempting me to drown myself in tears,", "And then in sighing to give up my breath.", "Thus am I still provok'd to every evil", "By this good wicked spirit, sweet angel-devil." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XLIX: Thou Leaden Brain", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "Thou leaden brain, which censur'st what I write,", "And say'st my lines be dull and do not move,", "I marvel not thou feel'st not my delight,", "Which never felt'st my fiery touch of love.", "But thou, whose pen hath like a pack-horse serv'd,", "Whose stomach unto gall hath turn'd thy food,", "Whose senses, like poor prisoners, hunger-starv'd,", "Whose grief hath parch'd thy body, dried thy blood,", "Thou which hast scorned life and hated death,", "And in a moment mad, sober, glad, and sorry,", "Thou which hast bann'd thy thoughts and curs'd thy breath", "With thousand plagues, more than in Purgatory,", "Thou thus whose spirit Love in his fire refines,", "Come thou, and read, admire, applaud my lines." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XLIII: Why Should Your Fair Eyes", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "Why should your fair eyes with such sovereign grace", "Disperse their rays on every vulgar spirit,", "Whilst I in darkness, in the self-same place,", "Get not one glance to recompense my merit?", "So doth the plowman gaze the wand'ring star,", "And only rest contented with the light,", "That never learn'd what constellations are", "Beyond the bent of his unknowing sight.", "O why should Beauty, custom to obey,", "To their gross sense apply herself so ill?", "Would God I were as ignorant as they,", "When I am made unhappy by my skill,", "Only compell'd on this poor good to boast:", "Heav'ns are not kind to them that know them most." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXVIII: To Such As Say", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "To such as say thy love I overprize,", "And do not stick to term my praises folly,", "Against these folks, that think themselves so wise,", "I thus oppose my Reason's forces wholly,", "Though I give more than well affords my state,", "In which expense the most suppose me vain,", "Which yields them nothing at the easiest rate,", "Yet at this price returns me treble gain.", "They value not, unskillful how to use,", "And I give much, because I gain thereby;", "I that thus take, or they that thus refuse,", "Whether are these deceived then, or I?", "In everything I hold this maxim still:", "The circumstance doth make it good or ill." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XLV: Muses, Which Sadly Sit", "author": "Michael Drayton", "lines": [ "Muses, which sadly sit about my chair,", "Drown'd in the tears extorted by my lines,", "With heavy sighs whilst thus I break the air,", "Painting my passions in these sad designs,", "Since she disdains to bless my happy verse,", "The strong-built trophies to her living fame,", "Ever henceforth my bosom be your hearse,", "Wherein the world shall now entomb her name.", "Enclose my music, you poor senseless walls,", "Since she is deaf and will not hear my moans,", "Soften yourselves with every tear that falls,", "Whilst I, like Orpheus, sing to trees and stones,", "Which with my plaint seem yet with pity mov'd,", "Kinder than she whom I so long have lov'd." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet on the Nuptials of the Marquis Antonio Cavalli With the Countess Clelia Rasponi of Ravenna", "author": "George Gordon, Lord Byron", "lines": [ "A noble Lady of the Italian shore", " Lovely and young, herself a happy bride,", " Commands a verse, and will not be denied,", "From me a wandering Englishman; I tore", "One sonnet, but invoke the muse once more", " To hail these gentle hearts which Love has tied,", " In Youth, Birth, Beauty, genially allied", "And blest with Virtue's soul, and Fortune's store.", "A sweeter language, and a luckier bard", " Were worthier of your hopes, Auspicious Pair!", "And of the sanctity of Hymen's shrine,", " But,--since I cannot but obey the Fair,", "To render your new state your true reward,", " May your Fate be like _Hers_, and unlike _mine._" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet to the Prince Regent. on the Repeal of Lord Edward Fitzgerald's Forfeiture", "author": "George Gordon, Lord Byron", "lines": [ "To be the father of the fatherless,", " To stretch the hand from the throne's height, and raise", " _His_ offspring, who expired in other days", "To make thy Sire's sway by a kingdom less,--", "_This_ is to be a monarch, and repress", " Envy into unutterable praise.", " Dismiss thy guard, and trust thee to such traits,", "For who would lift a hand, except to bless?", " Were it not easy, Sir, and is't not sweet", " To make thyself belovéd? and to be", "Omnipotent by Mercy's means? for thus", " Thy Sovereignty would grow but more complete,", "A despot thou, and yet thy people free,", " And by the heart--not hand--enslaving us." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet. on Launching Some Bottles Filled With Knowledge into the Bristol Channel", "author": "Percy Bysshe Shelley", "lines": [ "Vessels of heavenly medicine! may the breeze", "Auspicious waft your dark green forms to shore;", "Safe may ye stem the wide surrounding roar", "Of the wild whirlwinds and the raging seas;", "And oh! if Liberty e'er deigned to stoop", "From yonder lowly throne her crownless brow,", "Sure she will breathe around your emerald group", "The fairest breezes of her West that blow.", "Yes! she will waft ye to some freeborn soul", "Whose eye-beam, kindling as it meets your freight,", "Her heaven-born flame in suffering Earth will light,", "Until its radiance gleams from pole to pole,", "And tyrant-hearts with powerless envy burst", "To see their night of ignorance dispersed." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "395. Sonnet on the Author’s Birthday", "author": "Robert Burns", "lines": [ "SING on, sweet thrush, upon the leafless bough,", " Sing on, sweet bird, I listen to thy strain,", " See aged Winter, ’mid his surly reign,", "At thy blythe carol, clears his furrowed brow.", "", "", "So in lone Poverty’s dominion drear,", " Sits meek Content with light, unanxious heart;", " Welcomes the rapid moments, bids them part,", "Nor asks if they bring ought to hope or fear.", "", "", "I thank thee, Author of this opening day!", " Thou whose bright sun now gilds yon orient skies!", " Riches denied, thy boon was purer joys—", "What wealth could never give nor take away!", "", "", "Yet come, thou child of poverty and care,", "The mite high heav’n bestow’d, that mite with thee I’ll share." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet I", "author": "Robert Louis Stevenson", "lines": [ "NOR judge me light, tho' light at times I seem,", "And lightly in the stress of fortune bear", "The innumerable flaws of changeful care -", "Nor judge me light for this, nor rashly deem", "(Office forbid to mortals, kept supreme", "And separate the prerogative of God!)", "That seaman idle who is borne abroad", "To the far haven by the favouring stream.", "Not he alone that to contrarious seas", "Opposes, all night long, the unwearied oar,", "Not he alone, by high success endeared,", "Shall reach the Port; but, winged, with some light breeze", "Shall they, with upright keels, pass in before", "Whom easy Taste, the golden pilot, steered." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet: Oh! Death will find me, long before I tire", "author": "Rupert Brooke", "lines": [ "Oh! Death will find me, long before I tire", "Of watching you; and swing me suddenly", "Into the shade and loneliness and mire", "Of the last land! There, waiting patiently,", "", "One day, I think, I'll feel a cool wind blowing,", "See a slow light across the Stygian tide,", "And hear the Dead about me stir, unknowing,", "And tremble. And I shall know that you have died,", "", "And watch you, a broad-browed and smiling dream,", "Pass, light as ever, through the lightless host,", "Quietly ponder, start, and sway, and gleam --", "Most individual and bewildering ghost! --", "", "And turn, and toss your brown delightful head", "Amusedly, among the ancient Dead." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet: I said I splendidly loved you; it's not true", "author": "Rupert Brooke", "lines": [ "I said I splendidly loved you; it's not true.", "Such long swift tides stir not a land-locked sea.", "On gods or fools the high risk falls -- on you --", "The clean clear bitter-sweet that's not for me.", "Love soars from earth to ecstasies unwist.", "Love is flung Lucifer-like from Heaven to Hell.", "But -- there are wanderers in the middle mist,", "Who cry for shadows, clutch, and cannot tell", "Whether they love at all, or, loving, whom:", "An old song's lady, a fool in fancy dress,", "Or phantoms, or their own face on the gloom;", "For love of Love, or from heart's loneliness.", "Pleasure's not theirs, nor pain. They doubt, and sigh,", "And do not love at all. Of these am I." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet", "author": "Rupert Brooke", "lines": [ "Not with vain tears, when we’re beyond the sun,", "We’ll beat on the substantial doors, nor tread", "Those dusty high-roads of the aimless dead", "Plaintive for Earth; but rather turn and run", "Down some close-covered by-way of the air,", "Some low sweet alley between wind and wind,", "Stoop under faint gleams, thread the shadows, find", "Some whispering ghost-forgotten nook, and there", "", "Spend in pure converse our eternal day;", "Think each in each, immediately wise;", "Learn all we lacked before; hear, know, and say", "What this tumultuous body now denies;", "And feel, who have laid our groping hands away;", "And see, no longer blinded by our eyes." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet Reversed", "author": "Rupert Brooke", "lines": [ "Hand trembling towards hand; the amazing lights", "Of heart and eye. They stood on supreme heights.", "", "Ah, the delirious weeks of honeymoon!", "Soon they returned, and, after strange adventures,", "Settled at Balham by the end of June.", "Their money was in Can. Pacs. B. Debentures,", "And in Antofagastas. Still he went", "Cityward daily; still she did abide", "At home. And both were really quite content", "With work and social pleasures. Then they died.", "They left three children (besides George, who drank):", "The eldest Jane, who married Mr Bell,", "William, the head-clerk in the County Bank,", "And Henry, a stock-broker, doing well." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet", "author": "Samuel Coleridge", "lines": [ "To the River Otter", "", "Dear native Brook! wild Streamlet of the West!", "How many various-fated years have past,", "What happy and what mournful hours, since last", "I skimm'd the smooth thin stone along thy breast,", "Numbering its light leaps! yet so deep imprest", "Sink the sweet scenes of childhood, that mine eyes", "I never shut amid the sunny ray,", "But straight with all their tints thy waters rise,", "Thy crossing plank, thy marge with willows grey,", "And bedded sand that vein'd with various dyes", "Gleam'd through thy bright transparence! On my way,", "Visions of Childhood! oft have ye beguil'd", "Lone manhood's cares, yet waking fondest sighs:", "Ah! that once more I were a careless Child!" ], "linecount": "15" }, { "title": "Sonnet", "author": "Sir John Suckling", "lines": [ "Oh, for some honest lover's ghost,", "Some kind unbodied post", "Sent from the shades below!", "I strangely long to know", "Whether the noble chaplets wear", "Those that their mistress' scorn did bear", "Or those that were used kindly.", "", "For whatsoe'er they tell us here", "To make those sufferings dear,", "'Twill there, I fear, be found", "That to the being crowned", "T' have loved alone will not suffice,", "Unless we also have been wise", "And have our loves enjoyed.", "", "What posture can we think him in", "That, here unloved, again", "Departs, and 's thither gone", "Where each sits by his own?", "Or how can that Elysium be", "Where I my mistress still must see", "Circled in other's arms?", "", "For there the judges all are just,", "And Sophonisba must", "Be his whom she held dear,", "Not his who loved her here.", "The sweet Philoclea, since she died,", "Lies by her Pirocles his side,", "Not by Amphialus.", "", "Some bays, perchance, or myrtle bough", "For difference crowns the brow", "Of those kind souls that were", "The noble martyrs here;", "And if that be the only odds,", "(As who can tell?) ye kinder gods,", "Give me the woman here!" ], "linecount": "35" }, { "title": "Sonnet XVI: In Nature Apt", "author": "Sir Philip Sidney", "lines": [ "In nature apt to like when I did see", "Beauties, which were of many carats fine,", "My boiling sprites did thither soon incline,", "And, Love, I thought that I was full of thee:", "", "But finding not those restless flames in me,", "Which others said did make their souls to pine,", "I thought those babes of some pin's hurt did whine,", "By my love judging what love's pain might be.", "", "But while I thus with this young lion played,", "Mine eyes (shall I say curst or blest?) beheld", "Stella; now she is nam'd, need more be said?", "", "In her sight I a lesson new have spell'd,", "I now hav learn'd Love right, and learn'd even so,", "As who by being poisoned doth poison know." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet VII: When Nature", "author": "Sir Philip Sidney", "lines": [ "When Nature made her chief work, Stella's eyes,", "In color black why wrapp'd she beams so bright?", "Would she in beamy black, like painter wise,", "Frame daintiest lustre, mix'd of shades and light?", "", "Or did she else that sober hue devise,", "In object best to knit and strength our sight,", "Lest if no veil those brave gleams did disguise,", "They sun-like should more dazzle than delight?", "", "Or would she her miraculous power show,", "That whereas black seems Beauty's contrary,", "She even if black doth make all beauties flow?", "", "Both so and thus, she minding Love shoud be", "Placed ever there, gave him this mourning weed,", "To honor all their deaths, who for her bleed." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XVII: His Mother Dear Cupid", "author": "Sir Philip Sidney", "lines": [ "His mother dear Cupid offended late,", "Because that Mars grown slacker in her love,", "With pricking shot he did not throughly more", "To keep the pace of their first loving state.", "", "The boy refus'd for fear of Mars's hate,", "Who threaten'd stripes, if he his wrath did prove:", "But she in chafe him from her lap did shove,", "Brake bow, brake shafts, while Cupid weeping sate:", "", "Till that his grandame Nature pityijng it", "Of stella's brows make him two better bows,", "And in her eyes of arrows infinite.", "", "Oh how for joy he leaps, oh how he crows,", "And straight therewith like wags new got to play,", "Falls to shrewd turns, and I was in his way." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXXI: With How Sad Steps, O Moon", "author": "Sir Philip Sidney", "lines": [ "With how sad steps, O Moon, thou climb'st the skies!", "How silently, and with how wan a face!", "What, may it be that even in heav'nly place", "That busy archer his sharp arrows tries!", "Sure, if that long-with love-acquainted eyes", "Can judge of love, thou feel'st a lover's case,", "I read it in thy looks; thy languish'd grace", "To me, that feel the like, thy state descries.", "Then, ev'n of fellowship, O Moon, tell me,", "Is constant love deem'd there but want of wit?", "Are beauties there as proud as here they be?", "Do they above love to be lov'd, and yet", "Those lovers scorn whom that love doth possess?", "Do they call virtue there ungratefulness?" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XXX: Whether the Turkish New Moon", "author": "Sir Philip Sidney", "lines": [ "Whether the Turkish new moon minded be", "To fill his horns this year on Christian coast;", "How Poles' right king means, with leave of host,", "To warm with ill-made fire cold Muscovy;", "", "If French can yet three parts in one agree;", "What now the Dutch in their full diets boast;", "How Holland hearts, now so good towns be lost,", "Trust in the shade of pleasing Orange tree;", "", "How Ulster likes of that same golden bit", "Wherewith my father once made it half tame;", "If in the Scotch court be no welt'ring yet:", "", "These questions busy wits to me do frame.", "I, cumber'd with good manners, answer do,", "But know not how, for still I think of you." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet XLI: Having This Day My Horse", "author": "Sir Philip Sidney", "lines": [ "Having this day my horse, my hand, my lance", "Guided so well that I obtain'd the prize,", "Both by the judgment of the English eyes", "And of some sent from that sweet enemy France;", "Horsemen my skill in horsemanship advance,", "Town folks my strength; a daintier judge applies", "His praise to sleight which from good use doth rise;", "Some lucky wits impute it but to chance;", "Others, because of both sides I do take", "My blood from them who did excel in this,", "Think Nature me a man of arms did make.", "How far they shot awry! The true cause is,", "Stella look'd on, and from her heav'nly face", "Sent forth the beams which made so fair my race." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet III: With how sad steps", "author": "Sir Philip Sidney", "lines": [ "With how sad steps, O moon, thou climb'st the skies!", "How silently, and with how wan a face!", "What! may it be that even in heavenly place", "That busy archer his sharp arrows tries?", "Sure, if that long-with-love-acquainted eyes", "Can judge of love, thou feel'st a lover's case:", "I read it in thy looks; thy languished grace", "To me, that feel the like, thy state descries.", "Then, even of fellowship, O Moon, tell me,", "Is constant love deemed there but want of wit?", "Are beauties there as proud as here they be?", "Do they above love to be loved, and yet", "Those lovers scorn whoom that love doth possess?", "Do they call 'virtue' there - ungratefulness?" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Autumnal Sonnet", "author": "William Allingham", "lines": [ "Now Autumn's fire burns slowly along the woods,", "And day by day the dead leaves fall and melt,", "And night by night the monitory blast", "Wails in the key-hold, telling how it pass'd", "O'er empty fields, or upland solitudes,", "Or grim wide wave; and now the power is felt", "Of melancholy, tenderer in its moods", "Than any joy indulgent summer dealt.", "Dear friends, together in the glimmering eve,", "Pensive and glad, with tones that recognise", "The soft invisible dew in each one's eyes,", "It may be, somewhat thus we shall have leave", "To walk with memory,--when distant lies", "Poor Earth, where we were wont to live and grieve." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 1: From fairest creatures we desire increase", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 own bright eyes,", "Feed'st thy light's flame with self-substantial fuel,", "Making a famine where abundance lies,", "Thy self thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel:", "Thou that art now the world's fresh ornament,", "And only herald to the gaudy spring,", "Within thine own bud buriest thy content,", "And tender churl mak'st waste in niggarding:", " Pity the world, or else this glutton be,", " To eat the world's due, by the grave and thee." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 2: When forty winters shall besiege thy brow", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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, where all thy beauty lies,", "Where all the treasure of thy lusty days;", "To say, within thine own deep sunken eyes,", "Were an all-eating shame, and thriftless praise.", "How much more praise deserv'd thy beauty's use,", "If thou couldst answer 'This fair child of mine", "Shall sum my count, and make my old excuse,'", "Proving his beauty by succession thine!", " This were to be new made when thou art old,", " And see thy blood warm when thou feel'st it cold." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 3: Look in thy glass and tell the face thou viewest", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 where is she so fair whose unear'd womb", "Disdains the tillage of thy husbandry?", "Or who is he so fond will be the tomb,", "Of his self-love to stop posterity?", "Thou art thy mother's glass and she in thee", "Calls back the lovely April of her prime;", "So thou through windows of thine age shalt see,", "Despite of wrinkles this thy golden time.", " But if thou live, remember'd not to be,", " Die single and thine image dies with thee." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 4: Unthrifty loveliness, why dost thou spend", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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, why dost thou abuse", "The bounteous largess given thee to give?", "Profitless usurer, why dost thou use", "So great a sum of sums, yet canst not live?", "For having traffic with thy self alone,", "Thou of thy self thy sweet self dost deceive:", "Then how when nature calls thee to be gone,", "What acceptable audit canst thou leave?", " Thy unused beauty must be tombed with thee,", " Which, used, lives th' executor to be." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 5: Those hours, that with gentle work did frame", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 leads summer on", "To hideous winter, and confounds him there;", "Sap checked with frost, and lusty leaves quite gone,", "Beauty o'er-snowed and bareness every where:", "Then were not summer's distillation left,", "A liquid prisoner pent in walls of glass,", "Beauty's effect with beauty were bereft,", "Nor it, nor no remembrance what it was:", " But flowers distill'd, though they with winter meet,", " Leese but their show; their substance still lives sweet." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 6: Then let not winter's ragged hand deface", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 forbidden usury,", "Which happies those that pay the willing loan;", "That's for thy self to breed another thee,", "Or ten times happier, be it ten for one;", "Ten times thy self were happier than thou art,", "If ten of thine ten times refigur'd thee:", "Then what could death do if thou shouldst depart,", "Leaving thee living in posterity?", " Be not self-will'd, for thou art much too fair", " To be death's conquest and make worms thine heir." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 7: Lo! in the orient when the gracious light", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 heavenly hill,", "Resembling strong youth in his middle age,", "Yet mortal looks adore his beauty still,", "Attending on his golden pilgrimage:", "But when from highmost pitch, with weary car,", "Like feeble age, he reeleth from the day,", "The eyes, 'fore duteous, now converted are", "From his low tract, and look another way:", " So thou, thyself outgoing in thy noon:", " Unlook'd, on diest unless thou get a son." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 8: Music to hear, why hear'st thou music sadly?", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 the true concord of well-tuned sounds,", "By unions married, do offend thine ear,", "They do but sweetly chide thee, who confounds", "In singleness the parts that thou shouldst bear.", "Mark how one string, sweet husband to another,", "Strikes each in each by mutual ordering;", "Resembling sire and child and happy mother,", "Who, all in one, one pleasing note do sing:", " Whose speechless song being many, seeming one,", " Sings this to thee: 'Thou single wilt prove none.'" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 9: Is it for fear to wet a widow's eye", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 and still weep", "That thou no form of thee hast left behind,", "When every private widow well may keep", "By children's eyes, her husband's shape in mind:", "Look! what an unthrift in the world doth spend", "Shifts but his place, for still the world enjoys it;", "But beauty's waste hath in the world an end,", "And kept unused the user so destroys it.", " No love toward others in that bosom sits", " That on himself such murd'rous shame commits." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 10: For shame! deny that thou bear'st love to any", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 possess'd with murderous hate,", "That 'gainst thy self thou stick'st not to conspire,", "Seeking that beauteous roof to ruinate", "Which to repair should be thy chief desire.", "O! change thy thought, that I may change my mind:", "Shall hate be fairer lodg'd than gentle love?", "Be, as thy presence is, gracious and kind,", "Or to thyself at least kind-hearted prove:", " Make thee another self for love of me,", " That beauty still may live in thine or thee." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 11: As fast as thou shalt wane, so fast thou grow'st", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 convertest,", "Herein lives wisdom, beauty, and increase;", "Without this folly, age, and cold decay:", "If all were minded so, the times should cease", "And threescore year would make the world away.", "Let those whom nature hath not made for store,", "Harsh, featureless, and rude, barrenly perish:", "Look, whom she best endow'd, she gave thee more;", "Which bounteous gift thou shouldst in bounty cherish:", " She carv'd thee for her seal, and meant thereby,", " Thou shouldst print more, not let that copy die." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 12: When I do count the clock that tells the time", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 see barren of leaves,", "Which erst from heat did canopy the herd,", "And summer's green all girded up in sheaves,", "Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard,", "Then of thy beauty do I question make,", "That thou among the wastes of time must go,", "Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake", "And die as fast as they see others grow;", " And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defence", " Save breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 13: O! that you were your self; but, love you are", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 beauty which you hold in lease", "Find no determination; then you were", "Yourself again, after yourself's decease,", "When your sweet issue your sweet form should bear.", "Who lets so fair a house fall to decay,", "Which husbandry in honour might uphold,", "Against the stormy gusts of winter's day", "And barren rage of death's eternal cold?", " O! none but unthrifts. Dear my love, you know,", " You had a father: let your son say so." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 14: Not from the stars do I my judgement pluck", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 tell,", "Pointing to each his thunder, rain and wind,", "Or say with princes if it shall go well", "By oft predict that I in heaven find:", "But from thine eyes my knowledge I derive,", "And constant stars in them I read such art", "As 'Truth and beauty shall together thrive,", "If from thyself, to store thou wouldst convert';", " Or else of thee this I prognosticate:", " 'Thy end is truth's and beauty's doom and date.'" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 15: When I consider every thing that grows", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 men as plants increase,", "Cheered and checked even by the self-same sky,", "Vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease,", "And wear their brave state out of memory;", "Then the conceit of this inconstant stay", "Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,", "Where wasteful Time debateth with decay", "To change your day of youth to sullied night,", " And all in war with Time for love of you,", " As he takes from you, I engraft you new." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 16: But wherefore do not you a mightier way", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 hours,", "And many maiden gardens, yet unset,", "With virtuous wish would bear you living flowers,", "Much liker than your painted counterfeit:", "So should the lines of life that life repair,", "Which this, Time's pencil, or my pupil pen,", "Neither in inward worth nor outward fair,", "Can make you live your self in eyes of men.", " To give away yourself, keeps yourself still,", " And you must live, drawn by your own sweet skill." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 17: Who will believe my verse in time to come", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 could write the beauty of your eyes,", "And in fresh numbers number all your graces,", "The age to come would say 'This poet lies;", "Such heavenly touches ne'er touch'd earthly faces.'", "So should my papers, yellow'd with their age,", "Be scorn'd, like old men of less truth than tongue,", "And your true rights be term'd a poet's rage", "And stretched metre of an antique song:", " But were some child of yours alive that time,", " You should live twice,--in it, and in my rhyme." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 eye of heaven shines,", "And often is his gold complexion dimm'd,", "And every fair from fair sometime declines,", "By chance, or nature's changing course untrimm'd:", "But thy eternal summer shall not fade,", "Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,", "Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade,", "When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st,", " So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,", " So long lives this, and this gives life to thee." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 19: Devouring Time, blunt thou the lion's paws", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 glad and sorry seasons as thou fleets,", "And do whate'er thou wilt, swift-footed Time,", "To the wide world and all her fading sweets;", "But I forbid thee one most heinous crime:", "O! carve not with thy hours my love's fair brow,", "Nor draw no lines there with thine antique pen;", "Him in thy course untainted do allow", "For beauty's pattern to succeeding men.", " Yet, do thy worst old Time: despite thy wrong,", " My love shall in my verse ever live young." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 20: A woman's face with nature's own hand painted", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 more bright than theirs, less false in rolling,", "Gilding the object whereupon it gazeth;", "A man in hue all 'hues' in his controlling,", "Which steals men's eyes and women's souls amazeth.", "And for a woman wert thou first created;", "Till Nature, as she wrought thee, fell a-doting,", "And by addition me of thee defeated,", "By adding one thing to my purpose nothing.", " But since she prick'd thee out for women's pleasure,", " Mine be thy love and thy love's use their treasure." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 21: So is it not with me as with that Muse", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 compare'", "With sun and moon, with earth and sea's rich gems,", "With April's first-born flowers, and all things rare,", "That heaven's air in this huge rondure hems.", "O! let me, true in love, but truly write,", "And then believe me, my love is as fair", "As any mother's child, though not so bright", "As those gold candles fix'd in heaven's air:", " Let them say more that like of hearsay well;", " I will not praise that purpose not to sell." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 22: My glass shall not persuade me I am old", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 doth cover thee,", "Is but the seemly raiment of my heart,", "Which in thy breast doth live, as thine in me:", "How can I then be elder than thou art?", "O! therefore love, be of thyself so wary", "As I, not for myself, but for thee will;", "Bearing thy heart, which I will keep so chary", "As tender nurse her babe from faring ill.", " Presume not on thy heart when mine is slain,", " Thou gav'st me thine not to give back again." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 23: As an unperfect actor on the stage", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 trust, forget to say", "The perfect ceremony of love's rite,", "And in mine own love's strength seem to decay,", "O'ercharg'd with burthen of mine own love's might.", "O! let my looks be then the eloquence", "And dumb presagers of my speaking breast,", "Who plead for love, and look for recompense,", "More than that tongue that more hath more express'd.", " O! learn to read what silent love hath writ:", " To hear with eyes belongs to love's fine wit." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 24: Mine eye hath play'd the painter and hath stell'd", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 must you see his skill,", "To find where your true image pictur'd lies,", "Which in my bosom's shop is hanging still,", "That hath his windows glazed with thine eyes.", "Now see what good turns eyes for eyes have done:", "Mine eyes have drawn thy shape, and thine for me", "Are windows to my breast, where-through the sun", "Delights to peep, to gaze therein on thee;", " Yet eyes this cunning want to grace their art,", " They draw but what they see, know not the heart." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 25: Let those who are in favour with their stars", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 their fair leaves spread", "But as the marigold at the sun's eye,", "And in themselves their pride lies buried,", "For at a frown they in their glory die.", "The painful warrior famoused for fight,", "After a thousand victories once foil'd,", "Is from the book of honour razed quite,", "And all the rest forgot for which he toil'd:", "Then happy I, that love and am belov'd,", "Where I may not remove nor be remov'd." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 26: Lord of my love, to whom in vassalage", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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", "May make seem bare, in wanting words to show it,", "But that I hope some good conceit of thine", "In thy soul's thought, all naked, will bestow it:", "Till whatsoever star that guides my moving,", "Points on me graciously with fair aspect,", "And puts apparel on my tatter'd loving,", "To show me worthy of thy sweet respect:", " Then may I dare to boast how I do love thee;", " Till then, not show my head where thou mayst prove me." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 27: Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 far where I abide--", "Intend a zealous pilgrimage to thee,", "And keep my drooping eyelids open wide,", "Looking on darkness which the blind do see:", "Save that my soul's imaginary sight", "Presents thy shadow to my sightless view,", "Which, like a jewel (hung in ghastly night,", "Makes black night beauteous, and her old face new.", " Lo! thus, by day my limbs, by night my mind,", " For thee, and for myself, no quiet find." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 28: How can I then return in happy plight", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 either's reign,", "Do in consent shake hands to torture me,", "The one by toil, the other to complain", "How far I toil, still farther off from thee.", "I tell the day, to please him thou art bright,", "And dost him grace when clouds do blot the heaven:", "So flatter I the swart-complexion'd night,", "When sparkling stars twire not thou gild'st the even.", " But day doth daily draw my sorrows longer,", " And night doth nightly make grief's length seem stronger." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 29: When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 more rich in hope,", "Featur'd like him, like him with friends possess'd,", "Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope,", "With what I most enjoy contented least;", "Yet in these thoughts my self almost despising,", "Haply I think on thee,-- and then my state,", "Like to the lark at break of day arising", "From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;", " For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings", " That then I scorn to change my state with kings." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 30: When to the sessions of sweet silent thought", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 eye, unused to flow,", "For precious friends hid in death's dateless night,", "And weep afresh love's long since cancell'd woe,", "And moan the expense of many a vanish'd sight:", "Then can I grieve at grievances foregone,", "And heavily from woe to woe tell o'er", "The sad account of fore-bemoaned moan,", "Which I new pay as if not paid before.", " But if the while I think on thee, dear friend,", " All losses are restor'd and sorrows end." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 31: Thy bosom is endeared with all hearts", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 obsequious tear", "Hath dear religious love stol'n from mine eye,", "As interest of the dead, which now appear", "But things remov'd that hidden in thee lie!", "Thou art the grave where buried love doth live,", "Hung with the trophies of my lovers gone,", "Who all their parts of me to thee did give,", "That due of many now is thine alone:", " Their images I lov'd, I view in thee,", " And thou--all they--hast all the all of me." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 32: If thou survive my well-contented day", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 the bett'ring of the time,", "And though they be outstripp'd by every pen,", "Reserve them for my love, not for their rhyme,", "Exceeded by the height of happier men.", "O! then vouchsafe me but this loving thought:", "'Had my friend's Muse grown with this growing age,", "A dearer birth than this his love had brought,", "To march in ranks of better equipage:", " But since he died and poets better prove,", " Theirs for their style I'll read, his for his love'." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 33: Full many a glorious morning have I seen", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 basest clouds to ride", "With ugly rack on his celestial face,", "And from the forlorn world his visage hide,", "Stealing unseen to west with this disgrace:", "Even so my sun one early morn did shine,", "With all triumphant splendour on my brow;", "But out! alack! he was but one hour mine,", "The region cloud hath mask'd him from me now.", " Yet him for this my love no whit disdaineth;", " Suns of the world may stain when heaven's sun staineth." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 34: Why didst thou promise such a beauteous day", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 through the cloud thou break,", "To dry the rain on my storm-beaten face,", "For no man well of such a salve can speak,", "That heals the wound, and cures not the disgrace:", "Nor can thy shame give physic to my grief;", "Though thou repent, yet I have still the loss:", "The offender's sorrow lends but weak relief", "To him that bears the strong offence's cross.", " Ah! but those tears are pearl which thy love sheds,", " And they are rich and ransom all ill deeds." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 35: No more be griev'd at that which thou hast done", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 faults, and even I in this,", "Authorizing thy trespass with compare,", "Myself corrupting, salving thy amiss,", "Excusing thy sins more than thy sins are;", "For to thy sensual fault I bring in sense,--", "Thy adverse party is thy advocate,--", "And 'gainst myself a lawful plea commence:", "Such civil war is in my love and hate,", " That I an accessary needs must be,", " To that sweet thief which sourly robs from me." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 36: Let me confess that we two must be twain", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 one respect,", "Though in our lives a separable spite,", "Which though it alter not love's sole effect,", "Yet doth it steal sweet hours from love's delight.", "I may not evermore acknowledge thee,", "Lest my bewailed guilt should do thee shame,", "Nor thou with public kindness honour me,", "Unless thou take that honour from thy name:", " But do not so, I love thee in such sort,", " As thou being mine, mine is thy good report." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 37: As a decrepit father takes delight", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 wealth, or wit,", "Or any of these all, or all, or more,", "Entitled in thy parts, do crowned sit,", "I make my love engrafted, to this store:", "So then I am not lame, poor, nor despis'd,", "Whilst that this shadow doth such substance give", "That I in thy abundance am suffic'd,", "And by a part of all thy glory live.", " Look what is best, that best I wish in thee:", " This wish I have; then ten times happy me!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 38: How can my muse want subject to invent", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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, if aught in me", "Worthy perusal stand against thy sight;", "For who's so dumb that cannot write to thee,", "When thou thy self dost give invention light?", "Be thou the tenth Muse, ten times more in worth", "Than those old nine which rhymers invocate;", "And he that calls on thee, let him bring forth", "Eternal numbers to outlive long date.", " If my slight muse do please these curious days,", " The pain be mine, but thine shall be the praise." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 39: O! how thy worth with manners may I sing", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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, let us divided live,", "And our dear love lose name of single one,", "That by this separation I may give", "That due to thee which thou deserv'st alone.", "O absence! what a torment wouldst thou prove,", "Were it not thy sour leisure gave sweet leave,", "To entertain the time with thoughts of love,", "Which time and thoughts so sweetly doth deceive,", " And that thou teachest how to make one twain,", " By praising him here who doth hence remain." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 40: Take all my loves, my love, yea take them all", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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.", "Then, if for my love, thou my love receivest,", "I cannot blame thee, for my love thou usest;", "But yet be blam'd, if thou thy self deceivest", "By wilful taste of what thyself refusest.", "I do forgive thy robbery, gentle thief,", "Although thou steal thee all my poverty:", "And yet, love knows it is a greater grief", "To bear love's wrong, than hate's known injury.", " Lascivious grace, in whom all ill well shows,", " Kill me with spites yet we must not be foes." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 41: Those pretty wrongs that liberty commits", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 therefore to be won,", "Beauteous thou art, therefore to be assail'd;", "And when a woman woos, what woman's son", "Will sourly leave her till he have prevail'd?", "Ay me! but yet thou mightst my seat forbear,", "And chide thy beauty and thy straying youth,", "Who lead thee in their riot even there", "Where thou art forced to break a twofold truth:--", " Hers by thy beauty tempting her to thee,", " Thine by thy beauty being false to me." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 42: That thou hast her it is not all my grief", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 will excuse ye:", "Thou dost love her, because thou know'st I love her;", "And for my sake even so doth she abuse me,", "Suffering my friend for my sake to approve her.", "If I lose thee, my loss is my love's gain,", "And losing her, my friend hath found that loss;", "Both find each other, and I lose both twain,", "And both for my sake lay on me this cross:", " But here's the joy; my friend and I are one;", " Sweet flattery! then she loves but me alone." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 43: When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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, whose shadow shadows doth make bright,", "How would thy shadow's form form happy show", "To the clear day with thy much clearer light,", "When to unseeing eyes thy shade shines so!", "How would, I say, mine eyes be blessed made", "By looking on thee in the living day,", "When in dead night thy fair imperfect shade", "Through heavy sleep on sightless eyes doth stay!", " All days are nights to see till I see thee,", " And nights bright days when dreams do show thee me." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 44: If the dull substance of my flesh were thought", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 then although my foot did stand", "Upon the farthest earth remov'd from thee;", "For nimble thought can jump both sea and land,", "As soon as think the place where he would be.", "But, ah! thought kills me that I am not thought,", "To leap large lengths of miles when thou art gone,", "But that so much of earth and water wrought,", "I must attend time's leisure with my moan;", " Receiving nought by elements so slow", " But heavy tears, badges of either's woe." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 45: The other two, slight air, and purging fire", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 elements are gone", "In tender embassy of love to thee,", "My life, being made of four, with two alone", "Sinks down to death, oppress'd with melancholy;", "Until life's composition be recur'd", "By those swift messengers return'd from thee,", "Who even but now come back again, assur'd,", "Of thy fair health, recounting it to me:", " This told, I joy; but then no longer glad,", " I send them back again, and straight grow sad." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 46: Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 that thou in him dost lie,--", "A closet never pierc'd with crystal eyes--", "But the defendant doth that plea deny,", "And says in him thy fair appearance lies.", "To side this title is impannelled", "A quest of thoughts, all tenants to the heart;", "And by their verdict is determined", "The clear eye's moiety, and the dear heart's part:", " As thus; mine eye's due is thy outward part,", " And my heart's right, thy inward love of heart." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 47: Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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's picture then my eye doth feast,", "And to the painted banquet bids my heart;", "Another time mine eye is my heart's guest,", "And in his thoughts of love doth share a part:", "So, either by thy picture or my love,", "Thy self away, art present still with me;", "For thou not farther than my thoughts canst move,", "And I am still with them, and they with thee;", " Or, if they sleep, thy picture in my sight", " Awakes my heart, to heart's and eye's delight." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 48: How careful was I when I took my way", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 trifles are,", "Most worthy comfort, now my greatest grief,", "Thou best of dearest, and mine only care,", "Art left the prey of every vulgar thief.", "Thee have I not lock'd up in any chest,", "Save where thou art not, though I feel thou art,", "Within the gentle closure of my breast,", "From whence at pleasure thou mayst come and part;", " And even thence thou wilt be stol'n I fear,", " For truth proves thievish for a prize so dear." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 49: Against that time, if ever that time come", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 thou shalt strangely pass,", "And scarcely greet me with that sun, thine eye,", "When love, converted from the thing it was,", "Shall reasons find of settled gravity;", "Against that time do I ensconce me here,", "Within the knowledge of mine own desert,", "And this my hand, against my self uprear,", "To guard the lawful reasons on thy part:", " To leave poor me thou hast the strength of laws,", " Since why to love I can allege no cause." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 50: How heavy do I journey on the way", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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, tired with my woe,", "Plods dully on, to bear that weight in me,", "As if by some instinct the wretch did know", "His rider lov'd not speed, being made from thee:", "The bloody spur cannot provoke him on,", "That sometimes anger thrusts into his hide,", "Which heavily he answers with a groan,", "More sharp to me than spurring to his side;", " For that same groan doth put this in my mind,", " My grief lies onward, and my joy behind." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 51: Thus can my love excuse the slow offence", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 poor beast then find,", "When swift extremity can seem but slow?", "Then should I spur, though mounted on the wind,", "In winged speed no motion shall I know,", "Then can no horse with my desire keep pace;", "Therefore desire, of perfect'st love being made,", "Shall neigh--no dull flesh--in his fiery race;", "But love, for love, thus shall excuse my jade,--", " 'Since from thee going, he went wilful-slow,", " Towards thee I'll run, and give him leave to go.'" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 52: So am I as the rich, whose blessed key", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 so solemn and so rare,", "Since, seldom coming in that long year set,", "Like stones of worth they thinly placed are,", "Or captain jewels in the carcanet.", "So is the time that keeps you as my chest,", "Or as the wardrobe which the robe doth hide,", "To make some special instant special-blest,", "By new unfolding his imprison'd pride.", " Blessed are you whose worthiness gives scope,", " Being had, to triumph; being lacked, to hope." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 53: What is your substance, whereof are you made", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 the counterfeit", "Is poorly imitated after you;", "On Helen's cheek all art of beauty set,", "And you in Grecian tires are painted new:", "Speak of the spring, and foison of the year,", "The one doth shadow of your beauty show,", "The other as your bounty doth appear;", "And you in every blessed shape we know.", " In all external grace you have some part,", " But you like none, none you, for constant heart." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 54: O! how much more doth beauty beauteous seem", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 have full as deep a dye", "As the perfumed tincture of the roses.", "Hang on such thorns, and play as wantonly", "When summer's breath their masked buds discloses:", "But, for their virtue only is their show,", "They live unwoo'd, and unrespected fade;", "Die to themselves. Sweet roses do not so;", "Of their sweet deaths, are sweetest odours made:", " And so of you, beauteous and lovely youth,", " When that shall vade, by verse distills your truth." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 55: Not marble, nor the gilded monuments", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 wasteful war shall statues overturn,", "And broils root out the work of masonry,", "Nor Mars his sword, nor war's quick fire shall burn", "The living record of your memory.", "'Gainst death, and all-oblivious enmity", "Shall you pace forth; your praise shall still find room", "Even in the eyes of all posterity", "That wear this world out to the ending doom.", " So, till the judgment that yourself arise,", " You live in this, and dwell in lovers' eyes." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 56: Sweet love, renew thy force; be it not said", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 to-day thou fill", "Thy hungry eyes, even till they wink with fulness,", "To-morrow see again, and do not kill", "The spirit of love, with a perpetual dulness.", "Let this sad interim like the ocean be", "Which parts the shore, where two contracted new", "Come daily to the banks, that when they see", "Return of love, more blest may be the view;", " Or call it winter, which being full of care,", " Makes summer's welcome, thrice more wished, more rare." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 57: Being your slave what should I do but tend", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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-without-end hour,", "Whilst I, my sovereign, watch the clock for you,", "Nor think the bitterness of absence sour,", "When you have bid your servant once adieu;", "Nor dare I question with my jealous thought", "Where you may be, or your affairs suppose,", "But, like a sad slave, stay and think of nought", "Save, where you are, how happy you make those.", " So true a fool is love, that in your will,", " Though you do anything, he thinks no ill." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 58: That god forbid, that made me first your slave", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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! let me suffer, being at your beck,", "The imprison'd absence of your liberty;", "And patience, tame to sufferance, bide each check,", "Without accusing you of injury.", "Be where you list, your charter is so strong", "That you yourself may privilage your time", "To what you will; to you it doth belong", "Yourself to pardon of self-doing crime.", " I am to wait, though waiting so be hell,", " Not blame your pleasure be it ill or well." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 59: If there be nothing new, but that which is", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 backward look,", "Even of five hundred courses of the sun,", "Show me your image in some antique book,", "Since mind at first in character was done!", "That I might see what the old world could say", "To this composed wonder of your frame;", "Wh'r we are mended, or wh'r better they,", "Or whether revolution be the same.", " O! sure I am the wits of former days,", " To subjects worse have given admiring praise." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 60: Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 the main of light,", "Crawls to maturity, wherewith being crown'd,", "Crooked eclipses 'gainst his glory fight,", "And Time that gave doth now his gift confound.", "Time doth transfix the flourish set on youth", "And delves the parallels in beauty's brow,", "Feeds on the rarities of nature's truth,", "And nothing stands but for his scythe to mow:", " And yet to times in hope, my verse shall stand.", " Praising thy worth, despite his cruel hand." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 61: Is it thy will, thy image should keep open", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 thou send'st from thee", "So far from home into my deeds to pry,", "To find out shames and idle hours in me,", "The scope and tenure of thy jealousy?", "O, no! thy love, though much, is not so great:", "It is my love that keeps mine eye awake:", "Mine own true love that doth my rest defeat,", "To play the watchman ever for thy sake:", " For thee watch I, whilst thou dost wake elsewhere,", " From me far off, with others all too near." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 62: Sin of self-love possesseth all mine eye", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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,", "No shape so true, no truth of such account;", "And for myself mine own worth do define,", "As I all other in all worths surmount.", "But when my glass shows me myself indeed", "Beated and chopp'd with tanned antiquity,", "Mine own self-love quite contrary I read;", "Self so self-loving were iniquity.", " 'Tis thee,--myself,--that for myself I praise,", " Painting my age with beauty of thy days." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 63: Against my love shall be as I am now", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 travell'd on to age's steepy night;", "And all those beauties whereof now he's king", "Are vanishing, or vanished out of sight,", "Stealing away the treasure of his spring;", "For such a time do I now fortify", "Against confounding age's cruel knife,", "That he shall never cut from memory", "My sweet love's beauty, though my lover's life:", " His beauty shall in these black lines be seen,", " And they shall live, and he in them still green." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 64: When I have seen by Time's fell hand defac'd", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 hungry ocean gain", "Advantage on the kingdom of the shore,", "And the firm soil win of the watery main,", "Increasing store with loss, and loss with store;", "When I have seen such interchange of state,", "Or state itself confounded, to decay;", "Ruin hath taught me thus to ruminate--", "That Time will come and take my love away.", " This thought is as a death which cannot choose", " But weep to have, that which it fears to lose." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 65: Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 summer's honey breath hold out,", "Against the wrackful siege of battering days,", "When rocks impregnable are not so stout,", "Nor gates of steel so strong but Time decays?", "O fearful meditation! where, alack,", "Shall Time's best jewel from Time's chest lie hid?", "Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back?", "Or who his spoil of beauty can forbid?", " O! none, unless this miracle have might,", " That in black ink my love may still shine bright." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 66: Tired with all these, for restful death I cry", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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,", "And maiden virtue rudely strumpeted,", "And right perfection wrongfully disgrac'd,", "And strength by limping sway disabled", "And art made tongue-tied by authority,", "And folly--doctor-like--controlling skill,", "And simple truth miscall'd simplicity,", "And captive good attending captain ill:", " Tir'd with all these, from these would I be gone,", " Save that, to die, I leave my love alone." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 67: Ah! wherefore with infection should he live", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 cheek,", "And steel dead seeming of his living hue?", "Why should poor beauty indirectly seek", "Roses of shadow, since his rose is true?", "Why should he live, now Nature bankrupt is,", "Beggar'd of blood to blush through lively veins?", "For she hath no exchequer now but his,", "And proud of many, lives upon his gains.", " O! him she stores, to show what wealth she had", " In days long since, before these last so bad." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 68: Thus is his cheek the map of days outworn", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 of the dead,", "The right of sepulchres, were shorn away,", "To live a second life on second head;", "Ere beauty's dead fleece made another gay:", "In him those holy antique hours are seen,", "Without all ornament, itself and true,", "Making no summer of another's green,", "Robbing no old to dress his beauty new;", " And him as for a map doth Nature store,", " To show false Art what beauty was of yore." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 69: Those parts of thee that the world's eye doth view", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 commend.", "Thy outward thus with outward praise is crown'd;", "But those same tongues, that give thee so thine own,", "In other accents do this praise confound", "By seeing farther than the eye hath shown.", "They look into the beauty of thy mind,", "And that in guess they measure by thy deeds;", "Then--churls--their thoughts, although their eyes were kind,", "To thy fair flower add the rank smell of weeds:", " But why thy odour matcheth not thy show,", " The soil is this, that thou dost common grow." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 70: That thou art blam'd shall not be thy defect", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 but approve", "Thy worth the greater being woo'd of time;", "For canker vice the sweetest buds doth love,", "And thou present'st a pure unstained prime.", "Thou hast passed by the ambush of young days", "Either not assail'd, or victor being charg'd;", "Yet this thy praise cannot be so thy praise,", "To tie up envy, evermore enlarg'd,", " If some suspect of ill mask'd not thy show,", " Then thou alone kingdoms of hearts shouldst owe." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 71: No longer mourn for me when I am dead", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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, remember not", "The hand that writ it, for I love you so,", "That I in your sweet thoughts would be forgot,", "If thinking on me then should make you woe.", "O! if,--I say you look upon this verse,", "When I perhaps compounded am with clay,", "Do not so much as my poor name rehearse;", "But let your love even with my life decay;", " Lest the wise world should look into your moan,", " And mock you with me after I am gone." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 72: O! lest the world should task you to recite", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 devise some virtuous lie,", "To do more for me than mine own desert,", "And hang more praise upon deceased I", "Than niggard truth would willingly impart:", "O! lest your true love may seem false in this", "That you for love speak well of me untrue,", "My name be buried where my body is,", "And live no more to shame nor me nor you.", " For I am shamed by that which I bring forth,", " And so should you, to love things nothing worth." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 73: That time of year thou mayst in me behold", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 thou see'st the twilight of such day", "As after sunset fadeth in the west;", "Which by and by black night doth take away,", "Death's second self, that seals up all in rest.", "In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire,", "That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,", "As the death-bed, whereon it must expire,", "Consum'd with that which it was nourish'd by.", " This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong,", " To love that well, which thou must leave ere long." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 74: But be contented: when that fell arrest", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 dost review", "The very part was consecrate to thee:", "The earth can have but earth, which is his due;", "My spirit is thine, the better part of me:", "So then thou hast but lost the dregs of life,", "The prey of worms, my body being dead;", "The coward conquest of a wretch's knife,", "Too base of thee to be remembered.", " The worth of that is that which it contains,", " And that is this, and this with thee remains." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 75: So are you to my thoughts as food to life", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 enjoyer, and anon", "Doubting the filching age will steal his treasure;", "Now counting best to be with you alone,", "Then better'd that the world may see my pleasure:", "Sometime all full with feasting on your sight,", "And by and by clean starved for a look;", "Possessing or pursuing no delight,", "Save what is had, or must from you be took.", " Thus do I pine and surfeit day by day,", " Or gluttoning on all, or all away." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 76: Why is my verse so barren of new pride", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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, ever the same,", "And keep invention in a noted weed,", "That every word doth almost tell my name,", "Showing their birth, and where they did proceed?", "O! know sweet love I always write of you,", "And you and love are still my argument;", "So all my best is dressing old words new,", "Spending again what is already spent:", " For as the sun is daily new and old,", " So is my love still telling what is told." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 77: Thy glass will show thee how thy beauties wear", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 wrinkles which thy glass will truly show", "Of mouthed graves will give thee memory;", "Thou by thy dial's shady stealth mayst know", "Time's thievish progress to eternity.", "Look! what thy memory cannot contain,", "Commit to these waste blanks, and thou shalt find", "Those children nursed, deliver'd from thy brain,", "To take a new acquaintance of thy mind.", " These offices, so oft as thou wilt look,", " Shall profit thee and much enrich thy book." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 78: So oft have I invoked thee for my Muse", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 to sing", "And heavy ignorance aloft to fly,", "Have added feathers to the learned's wing", "And given grace a double majesty.", "Yet be most proud of that which I compile,", "Whose influence is thine, and born of thee:", "In others' works thou dost but mend the style,", "And arts with thy sweet graces graced be;", " But thou art all my art, and dost advance", " As high as learning, my rude ignorance." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 79: Whilst I alone did call upon thy aid", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 argument", "Deserves the travail of a worthier pen;", "Yet what of thee thy poet doth invent", "He robs thee of, and pays it thee again.", "He lends thee virtue, and he stole that word", "From thy behaviour; beauty doth he give,", "And found it in thy cheek: he can afford", "No praise to thee, but what in thee doth live.", " Then thank him not for that which he doth say,", " Since what he owes thee, thou thyself dost pay." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 80: O! how I faint when I of you do write", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 worth--wide as the ocean is,--", "The humble as the proudest sail doth bear,", "My saucy bark, inferior far to his,", "On your broad main doth wilfully appear.", "Your shallowest help will hold me up afloat,", "Whilst he upon your soundless deep doth ride;", "Or, being wrack'd, I am a worthless boat,", "He of tall building, and of goodly pride:", " Then if he thrive and I be cast away,", " The worst was this,--my love was my decay." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 81: Or I shall live your epitaph to make", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 life shall have,", "Though I, once gone, to all the world must die:", "The earth can yield me but a common grave,", "When you entombed in men's eyes shall lie.", "Your monument shall be my gentle verse,", "Which eyes not yet created shall o'er-read;", "And tongues to be, your being shall rehearse,", "When all the breathers of this world are dead;", " You still shall live,--such virtue hath my pen,--", " Where breath most breathes, even in the mouths of men." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 82: I grant thou wert not married to my Muse", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 knowledge as in hue,", "Finding thy worth a limit past my praise;", "And therefore art enforced to seek anew", "Some fresher stamp of the time-bettering days.", "And do so, love; yet when they have devis'd,", "What strained touches rhetoric can lend,", "Thou truly fair, wert truly sympathiz'd", "In true plain words, by thy true-telling friend;", " And their gross painting might be better us'd", " Where cheeks need blood; in thee it is abus'd." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 83: I never saw that you did painting need", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 your report,", "That you yourself, being extant, well might show", "How far a modern quill doth come too short,", "Speaking of worth, what worth in you doth grow.", "This silence for my sin you did impute,", "Which shall be most my glory being dumb;", "For I impair not beauty being mute,", "When others would give life, and bring a tomb.", " There lives more life in one of your fair eyes", " Than both your poets can in praise devise." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 84: Who is it that says most, which can say more", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 that pen doth dwell", "That to his subject lends not some small glory;", "But he that writes of you, if he can tell", "That you are you, so dignifies his story,", "Let him but copy what in you is writ,", "Not making worse what nature made so clear,", "And such a counterpart shall fame his wit,", "Making his style admired every where.", " You to your beauteous blessings add a curse,", " Being fond on praise, which makes your praises worse." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 85: My tongue-tied Muse in manners holds her still", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 thoughts, whilst others write good words,", "And like unlettered clerk still cry 'Amen'", "To every hymn that able spirit affords,", "In polish'd form of well-refined pen.", "Hearing you praised, I say ''tis so, 'tis true,'", "And to the most of praise add something more;", "But that is in my thought, whose love to you,", "Though words come hindmost, holds his rank before.", " Then others, for the breath of words respect,", " Me for my dumb thoughts, speaking in effect." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 86: Was it the proud full sail of his great verse", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 spirit, by spirits taught to write,", "Above a mortal pitch, that struck me dead?", "No, neither he, nor his compeers by night", "Giving him aid, my verse astonished.", "He, nor that affable familiar ghost", "Which nightly gulls him with intelligence,", "As victors of my silence cannot boast;", "I was not sick of any fear from thence:", " But when your countenance fill'd up his line,", " Then lacked I matter; that enfeebled mine." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 87: Farewell! thou art too dear for my possessing", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 thee but by thy granting?", "And for that riches where is my deserving?", "The cause of this fair gift in me is wanting,", "And so my patent back again is swerving.", "Thy self thou gav'st, thy own worth then not knowing,", "Or me to whom thou gav'st it, else mistaking;", "So thy great gift, upon misprision growing,", "Comes home again, on better judgement making.", " Thus have I had thee, as a dream doth flatter,", " In sleep a king, but waking no such matter." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 88: When thou shalt be dispos'd to set me light", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 weakness, being best acquainted,", "Upon thy part I can set down a story", "Of faults conceal'd, wherein I am attainted;", "That thou in losing me shalt win much glory:", "And I by this will be a gainer too;", "For bending all my loving thoughts on thee,", "The injuries that to myself I do,", "Doing thee vantage, double-vantage me.", " Such is my love, to thee I so belong,", " That for thy right, myself will bear all wrong." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 89: Say that thou didst forsake me for some fault", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 disgrace me half so ill,", "To set a form upon desired change,", "As I'll myself disgrace; knowing thy will,", "I will acquaintance strangle, and look strange;", "Be absent from thy walks; and in my tongue", "Thy sweet beloved name no more shall dwell,", "Lest I, too much profane, should do it wrong,", "And haply of our old acquaintance tell.", " For thee, against my self I'll vow debate,", " For I must ne'er love him whom thou dost hate." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 90: Then hate me when thou wilt; if ever, now", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 heart hath 'scap'd this sorrow,", "Come in the rearward of a conquer'd woe;", "Give not a windy night a rainy morrow,", "To linger out a purpos'd overthrow.", "If thou wilt leave me, do not leave me last,", "When other petty griefs have done their spite,", "But in the onset come: so shall I taste", "At first the very worst of fortune's might;", " And other strains of woe, which now seem woe,", " Compar'd with loss of thee, will not seem so." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 91: Some glory in their birth, some in their skill", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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;", "And every humour hath his adjunct pleasure,", "Wherein it finds a joy above the rest:", "But these particulars are not my measure,", "All these I better in one general best.", "Thy love is better than high birth to me,", "Richer than wealth, prouder than garments' costs,", "Of more delight than hawks and horses be;", "And having thee, of all men's pride I boast:", " Wretched in this alone, that thou mayst take", " All this away, and me most wretchcd make." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 92: But do thy worst to steal thyself away", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 worst of wrongs,", "When in the least of them my life hath end.", "I see a better state to me belongs", "Than that which on thy humour doth depend:", "Thou canst not vex me with inconstant mind,", "Since that my life on thy revolt doth lie.", "O! what a happy title do I find,", "Happy to have thy love, happy to die!", " But what's so blessed-fair that fears no blot?", " Thou mayst be false, and yet I know it not." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 93: So shall I live, supposing thou art true", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 hatred in thine eye,", "Therefore in that I cannot know thy change.", "In many's looks, the false heart's history", "Is writ in moods, and frowns, and wrinkles strange.", "But heaven in thy creation did decree", "That in thy face sweet love should ever dwell;", "Whate'er thy thoughts, or thy heart's workings be,", "Thy looks should nothing thence, but sweetness tell.", " How like Eve's apple doth thy beauty grow,", " If thy sweet virtue answer not thy show!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 94: They that have power to hurt, and will do none", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 inherit heaven's graces,", "And husband nature's riches from expense;", "They are the lords and owners of their faces,", "Others, but stewards of their excellence.", "The summer's flower is to the summer sweet,", "Though to itself, it only live and die,", "But if that flower with base infection meet,", "The basest weed outbraves his dignity:", " For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds;", " Lilies that fester, smell far worse than weeds." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 95: How sweet and lovely dost thou make the shame", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 tells the story of thy days,", "Making lascivious comments on thy sport,", "Cannot dispraise, but in a kind of praise;", "Naming thy name, blesses an ill report.", "O! what a mansion have those vices got", "Which for their habitation chose out thee,", "Where beauty's veil doth cover every blot", "And all things turns to fair that eyes can see!", " Take heed, dear heart, of this large privilege;", " The hardest knife ill-us'd doth lose his edge." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 96: Some say thy fault is youth, some wantonness", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 the finger of a throned queen", "The basest jewel will be well esteem'd,", "So are those errors that in thee are seen", "To truths translated, and for true things deem'd.", "How many lambs might the stern wolf betray,", "If like a lamb he could his looks translate!", "How many gazers mightst thou lead away,", "if thou wouldst use the strength of all thy state!", " But do not so; I love thee in such sort,", " As, thou being mine, mine is thy good report." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 97: How like a winter hath my absence been", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 removed was summer's time;", "The teeming autumn, big with rich increase,", "Bearing the wanton burden of the prime,", "Like widow'd wombs after their lords' decease:", "Yet this abundant issue seem'd to me", "But hope of orphans, and unfather'd fruit;", "For summer and his pleasures wait on thee,", "And, thou away, the very birds are mute:", " Or, if they sing, 'tis with so dull a cheer,", " That leaves look pale, dreading the winter's near." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 98: From you have I been absent in the spring", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 lays of birds, nor the sweet smell", "Of different flowers in odour and in hue,", "Could make me any summer's story tell,", "Or from their proud lap pluck them where they grew:", "Nor did I wonder at the lily's white,", "Nor praise the deep vermilion in the rose;", "They were but sweet, but figures of delight,", "Drawn after you, you pattern of all those.", " Yet seem'd it winter still, and you away,", " As with your shadow I with these did play." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 99: The forward violet thus did I chide", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "The forward violet thus did I chide: ", "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'd.", "The lily I condemned for thy hand,", "And buds of marjoram had stol'n thy hair;", "The roses fearfully on thorns did stand,", "One blushing shame, another white despair;", "A third, nor red nor white, had stol'n of both,", "And to his robbery had annex'd thy breath;", "But, for his theft, in pride of all his growth", "A vengeful canker eat him up to death.", " More flowers I noted, yet I none could see,", " But sweet, or colour it had stol'n from thee." ], "linecount": "15" }, { "title": "Sonnet 100: Where art thou Muse that thou forget'st so long", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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?", "Return forgetful Muse, and straight redeem,", "In gentle numbers time so idly spent;", "Sing to the ear that doth thy lays esteem", "And gives thy pen both skill and argument.", "Rise, resty Muse, my love's sweet face survey,", "If Time have any wrinkle graven there;", "If any, be a satire to decay,", "And make time's spoils despised every where.", " Give my love fame faster than Time wastes life,", " So thou prevent'st his scythe and crooked knife." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 101: O truant Muse what shall be thy amends", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 haply say,", "'Truth needs no colour, with his colour fix'd;", "Beauty no pencil, beauty's truth to lay;", "But best is best, if never intermix'd'?", "Because he needs no praise, wilt thou be dumb?", "Excuse not silence so, for't lies in thee", "To make him much outlive a gilded tomb", "And to be prais'd of ages yet to be.", " Then do thy office, Muse; I teach thee how", " To make him seem long hence as he shows now." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 102: My love is strengthen'd, though more weak in seeming", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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.", "Our love was new, and then but in the spring,", "When I was wont to greet it with my lays;", "As Philomel in summer's front doth sing,", "And stops her pipe in growth of riper days:", "Not that the summer is less pleasant now", "Than when her mournful hymns did hush the night,", "But that wild music burthens every bough,", "And sweets grown common lose their dear delight.", " Therefore like her, I sometime hold my tongue:", " Because I would not dull you with my song." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 103: Alack! what poverty my Muse brings forth", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 more can write!", "Look in your glass, and there appears a face", "That over-goes my blunt invention quite,", "Dulling my lines, and doing me disgrace.", "Were it not sinful then, striving to mend,", "To mar the subject that before was well?", "For to no other pass my verses tend", "Than of your graces and your gifts to tell;", " And more, much more, than in my verse can sit,", " Your own glass shows you when you look in it." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 104: To me, fair friend, you never can be old", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 beauteous springs to yellow autumn turn'd,", "In process of the seasons have I seen,", "Three April perfumes in three hot Junes burn'd,", "Since first I saw you fresh, which yet are green.", "Ah! yet doth beauty like a dial-hand,", "Steal from his figure, and no pace perceiv'd;", "So your sweet hue, which methinks still doth stand,", "Hath motion, and mine eye may be deceiv'd:", " For fear of which, hear this thou age unbred:", " Ere you were born was beauty's summer dead." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 105: Let not my love be call'd idolatry", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 constant in a wondrous excellence;", "Therefore my verse to constancy confin'd,", "One thing expressing, leaves out difference.", "'Fair, kind, and true,' is all my argument,", "'Fair, kind, and true,' varying to other words;", "And in this change is my invention spent,", "Three themes in one, which wondrous scope affords.", " Fair, kind, and true, have often liv'd alone,", " Which three till now, never kept seat in one." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 106: When in the chronicle of wasted time", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 beauty's best,", "Of hand, of foot, of lip, of eye, of brow,", "I see their antique pen would have express'd", "Even such a beauty as you master now.", "So all their praises are but prophecies", "Of this our time, all you prefiguring;", "And for they looked but with divining eyes,", "They had not skill enough your worth to sing:", " For we, which now behold these present days,", " Have eyes to wonder, but lack tongues to praise." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 107: Not mine own fears, nor the prophetic soul", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 eclipse endur'd,", "And the sad augurs mock their own presage;", "Incertainties now crown themselves assur'd,", "And peace proclaims olives of endless age.", "Now with the drops of this most balmy time,", "My love looks fresh, and Death to me subscribes,", "Since, spite of him, I'll live in this poor rime,", "While he insults o'er dull and speechless tribes:", " And thou in this shalt find thy monument,", " When tyrants' crests and tombs of brass are spent." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 108: What's in the brain, that ink may character", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 boy; but yet, like prayers divine,", "I must each day say o'er the very same;", "Counting no old thing old, thou mine, I thine,", "Even as when first I hallow'd thy fair name.", "So that eternal love in love's fresh case,", "Weighs not the dust and injury of age,", "Nor gives to necessary wrinkles place,", "But makes antiquity for aye his page;", " Finding the first conceit of love there bred,", " Where time and outward form would show it dead." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 109: O! never say that I was false of heart", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 have rang'd,", "Like him that travels, I return again;", "Just to the time, not with the time exchang'd,", "So that myself bring water for my stain.", "Never believe though in my nature reign'd,", "All frailties that besiege all kinds of blood,", "That it could so preposterously be stain'd,", "To leave for nothing all thy sum of good;", " For nothing this wide universe I call,", " Save thou, my rose, in it thou art my all." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 110: Alas! 'tis true, I have gone here and there", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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, that I have look'd on truth", "Askance and strangely; but, by all above,", "These blenches gave my heart another youth,", "And worse essays prov'd thee my best of love.", "Now all is done, save what shall have no end:", "Mine appetite I never more will grind", "On newer proof, to try an older friend,", "A god in love, to whom I am confin'd.", " Then give me welcome, next my heaven the best,", " Even to thy pure and most most loving breast." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 111: O! for my sake do you with Fortune chide", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 name receives a brand,", "And almost thence my nature is subdu'd", "To what it works in, like the dyer's hand:", "Pity me, then, and wish I were renew'd;", "Whilst, like a willing patient, I will drink,", "Potions of eisel 'gainst my strong infection;", "No bitterness that I will bitter think,", "Nor double penance, to correct correction.", " Pity me then, dear friend, and I assure ye,", " Even that your pity is enough to cure me." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 112: Your love and pity doth the impression fill", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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, and I must strive", "To know my shames and praises from your tongue;", "None else to me, nor I to none alive,", "That my steel'd sense or changes right or wrong.", "In so profound abysm I throw all care", "Of others' voices, that my adder's sense", "To critic and to flatterer stopped are.", "Mark how with my neglect I do dispense:", " You are so strongly in my purpose bred,", " That all the world besides methinks are dead." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 113: Since I left you, mine eye is in my mind", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 heart", "Of bird, of flower, or shape which it doth latch:", "Of his quick objects hath the mind no part,", "Nor his own vision holds what it doth catch;", "For if it see the rud'st or gentlest sight,", "The most sweet favour or deformed'st creature,", "The mountain or the sea, the day or night:", "The crow, or dove, it shapes them to your feature.", " Incapable of more, replete with you,", " My most true mind thus maketh mine untrue." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 114: Or whether doth my mind, being crown'd with you", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 monsters and things indigest", "Such cherubins as your sweet self resemble,", "Creating every bad a perfect best,", "As fast as objects to his beams assemble?", "O! 'tis the first, 'tis flattery in my seeing,", "And my great mind most kingly drinks it up:", "Mine eye well knows what with his gust is 'greeing,", "And to his palate doth prepare the cup:", " If it be poison'd, 'tis the lesser sin", " That mine eye loves it and doth first begin." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 115: Those lines that I before have writ do lie", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 reckoning Time, whose million'd accidents", "Creep in 'twixt vows, and change decrees of kings,", "Tan sacred beauty, blunt the sharp'st intents,", "Divert strong minds to the course of altering things;", "Alas! why fearing of Time's tyranny,", "Might I not then say, 'Now I love you best,'", "When I was certain o'er incertainty,", "Crowning the present, doubting of the rest?", " Love is a babe, then might I not say so,", " To give full growth to that which still doth grow?" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 116: Let me not to the marriage of true minds", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 looks on tempests and is never shaken;", "It is the star to every wandering bark,", "Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.", "Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks", "Within his bending sickle's compass come;", "Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,", "But bears it out even to the edge of doom.", " If this be error and upon me prov'd,", " I never writ, nor no man ever lov'd." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 117: Accuse me thus: that I have scanted all", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 unknown minds,", "And given to time your own dear-purchas'd right;", "That I have hoisted sail to all the winds", "Which should transport me farthest from your sight.", "Book both my wilfulness and errors down,", "And on just proof surmise, accumulate;", "Bring me within the level of your frown,", "But shoot not at me in your waken'd hate;", " Since my appeal says I did strive to prove", " The constancy and virtue of your love." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 118: Like as, to make our appetite more keen", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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-cloying sweetness,", "To bitter sauces did I frame my feeding;", "And, sick of welfare, found a kind of meetness", "To be diseas'd, ere that there was true needing.", "Thus policy in love, to anticipate", "The ills that were not, grew to faults assur'd,", "And brought to medicine a healthful state", "Which, rank of goodness, would by ill be cur'd;", " But thence I learn and find the lesson true,", " Drugs poison him that so fell sick of you." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 119: What potions have I drunk of Siren tears", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 my heart committed,", "Whilst it hath thought itself so blessed never!", "How have mine eyes out of their spheres been fitted,", "In the distraction of this madding fever!", "O benefit of ill! now I find true", "That better is, by evil still made better;", "And ruin'd love, when it is built anew,", "Grows fairer than at first, more strong, far greater.", " So I return rebuk'd to my content,", " And gain by ill thrice more than I have spent." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 120: That you were once unkind befriends me now", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 my unkindness shaken,", "As I by yours, you've pass'd a hell of time;", "And I, a tyrant, have no leisure taken", "To weigh how once I suffer'd in your crime.", "O! that our night of woe might have remember'd", "My deepest sense, how hard true sorrow hits,", "And soon to you, as you to me, then tender'd", "The humble salve, which wounded bosoms fits!", " But that your trespass now becomes a fee;", " Mine ransoms yours, and yours must ransom me." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 121: 'Tis better to be vile than vile esteem'd", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "'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 others' false adulterate eyes", "Give salutation to my sportive blood?", "Or on my frailties why are frailer spies,", "Which in their wills count bad what I think good?", "No, I am that I am, and they that level", "At my abuses reckon up their own:", "I may be straight though they themselves be bevel;", "By their rank thoughts, my deeds must not be shown;", " Unless this general evil they maintain,", " All men are bad and in their badness reign." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 122: Thy gift, thy tables, are within my brain", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 heart", "Have faculty by nature to subsist;", "Till each to raz'd oblivion yield his part", "Of thee, thy record never can be miss'd.", "That poor retention could not so much hold,", "Nor need I tallies thy dear love to score;", "Therefore to give them from me was I bold,", "To trust those tables that receive thee more:", " To keep an adjunct to remember thee", " Were to import forgetfulness in me." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 123: No, Time, thou shalt not boast that I do change", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 therefore we admire", "What thou dost foist upon us that is old;", "And rather make them born to our desire", "Than think that we before have heard them told.", "Thy registers and thee I both defy,", "Not wondering at the present nor the past,", "For thy records and what we see doth lie,", "Made more or less by thy continual haste.", " This I do vow and this shall ever be;", " I will be true despite thy scythe and thee." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 124: If my dear love were but the child of state", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 was builded far from accident;", "It suffers not in smiling pomp, nor falls", "Under the blow of thralled discontent,", "Whereto th' inviting time our fashion calls:", "It fears not policy, that heretic,", "Which works on leases of short-number'd hours,", "But all alone stands hugely politic,", "That it nor grows with heat, nor drowns with showers.", " To this I witness call the fools of time,", " Which die for goodness, who have lived for crime." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 125: Were't aught to me I bore the canopy", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 favour", "Lose all and more by paying too much rent", "For compound sweet; forgoing simple savour,", "Pitiful thrivers, in their gazing spent?", "No; let me be obsequious in thy heart,", "And take thou my oblation, poor but free,", "Which is not mix'd with seconds, knows no art,", "But mutual render, only me for thee.", " Hence, thou suborned informer! a true soul", " When most impeach'd, stands least in thy control." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 126: O thou, my lovely boy, who in thy power", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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, sovereign mistress over wrack,", "As thou goest onwards, still will pluck thee back,", "She keeps thee to this purpose, that her skill", "May time disgrace and wretched minutes kill.", "Yet fear her, O thou minion of her pleasure!", "She may detain, but not still keep, her treasure:", " Her audit (though delayed) answered must be,", " And her quietus is to render thee." ], "linecount": "12" }, { "title": "Sonnet 127: In the old age black was not counted fair", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 put on Nature's power,", "Fairing the foul with Art's false borrowed face,", "Sweet beauty hath no name, no holy bower,", "But is profan'd, if not lives in disgrace.", "Therefore my mistress' eyes are raven black,", "Her eyes so suited, and they mourners seem", "At such who, not born fair, no beauty lack,", "Sland'ring creation with a false esteem:", " Yet so they mourn becoming of their woe,", " That every tongue says beauty should look so." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 128: How oft when thou, my music, music play'st", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 jacks that nimble leap,", "To kiss the tender inward of thy hand,", "Whilst my poor lips which should that harvest reap,", "At the wood's boldness by thee blushing stand!", "To be so tickled, they would change their state", "And situation with those dancing chips,", "O'er whom thy fingers walk with gentle gait,", "Making dead wood more bless'd than living lips.", " Since saucy jacks so happy are in this,", " Give them thy fingers, me thy lips to kiss." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 129: The expense of spirit in a waste of shame", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 despised straight;", "Past reason hunted; and no sooner had,", "Past reason hated, as a swallow'd bait,", "On purpose laid to make the taker mad:", "Mad in pursuit and in possession so;", "Had, having, and in quest, to have extreme;", "A bliss in proof,-- and prov'd, a very woe;", "Before, a joy propos'd; behind a dream.", " All this the world well knows; yet none knows well", " To shun the heaven that leads men to this hell." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 130: My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 roses damask'd, red and white,", "But no such roses see I in her cheeks;", "And in some perfumes is there more delight", "Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.", "I love to hear her speak, yet well I know", "That music hath a far more pleasing sound:", "I grant I never saw a goddess go,--", "My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:", " And yet by heaven, I think my love as rare,", " As any she belied with false compare." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 131: Thou art as tyrannous, so as thou art", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 faith, some say that thee behold,", "Thy face hath not the power to make love groan;", "To say they err I dare not be so bold,", "Although I swear it to myself alone.", "And to be sure that is not false I swear,", "A thousand groans, but thinking on thy face,", "One on another's neck, do witness bear", "Thy black is fairest in my judgment's place.", " In nothing art thou black save in thy deeds,", " And thence this slander, as I think, proceeds." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 132: Thine eyes I love, and they, as pitying me", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 sun of heaven", "Better becomes the grey cheeks of the east,", "Nor that full star that ushers in the even,", "Doth half that glory to the sober west,", "As those two mourning eyes become thy face:", "O! let it then as well beseem thy heart", "To mourn for me since mourning doth thee grace,", "And suit thy pity like in every part.", " Then will I swear beauty herself is black,", " And all they foul that thy complexion lack." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 133: Beshrew that heart that makes my heart to groan", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 thy cruel eye hath taken,", "And my next self thou harder hast engross'd:", "Of him, myself, and thee I am forsaken;", "A torment thrice three-fold thus to be cross'd:", "Prison my heart in thy steel bosom's ward,", "But then my friend's heart let my poor heart bail;", "Whoe'er keeps me, let my heart be his guard;", "Thou canst not then use rigour in my jail:", " And yet thou wilt; for I, being pent in thee,", " Perforce am thine, and all that is in me." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 134: So, now I have confess'd that he is thine", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 not be free,", "For thou art covetous, and he is kind;", "He learn'd but surety-like to write for me,", "Under that bond that him as fast doth bind.", "The statute of thy beauty thou wilt take,", "Thou usurer, that putt'st forth all to use,", "And sue a friend came debtor for my sake;", "So him I lose through my unkind abuse.", " Him have I lost; thou hast both him and me:", " He pays the whole, and yet am I not free." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 135: Whoever hath her wish, thou hast thy 'Will,'", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 is large and spacious,", "Not once vouchsafe to hide my will in thine?", "Shall will in others seem right gracious,", "And in my will no fair acceptance shine?", "The sea, all water, yet receives rain still,", "And in abundance addeth to his store;", "So thou, being rich in 'Will,' add to thy 'Will'", "One will of mine, to make thy large will more.", " Let no unkind 'No' fair beseechers kill;", " Think all but one, and me in that one 'Will.'" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 136: If thy soul check thee that I come so near", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 fulfil the treasure of thy love,", "Ay, fill it full with wills, and my will one.", "In things of great receipt with ease we prove", "Among a number one is reckon'd none:", "Then in the number let me pass untold,", "Though in thy store's account I one must be;", "For nothing hold me, so it please thee hold", "That nothing me, a something sweet to thee:", " Make but my name thy love, and love that still,", " And then thou lov'st me for my name is 'Will.'" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 137: Thou blind fool, Love, what dost thou to mine eyes", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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, corrupt by over-partial looks,", "Be anchor'd in the bay where all men ride,", "Why of eyes' falsehood hast thou forged hooks,", "Whereto the judgment of my heart is tied?", "Why should my heart think that a several plot,", "Which my heart knows the wide world's common place?", "Or mine eyes, seeing this, say this is not,", "To put fair truth upon so foul a face?", " In things right true my heart and eyes have err'd,", " And to this false plague are they now transferr'd." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 138: When my love swears that she is made of truth", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 thinking that she thinks me young,", "Although she knows my days are past the best,", "Simply I credit her false-speaking tongue:", "On both sides thus is simple truth suppressed:", "But wherefore says she not she is unjust?", "And wherefore say not I that I am old?", "O! love's best habit is in seeming trust,", "And age in love, loves not to have years told:", " Therefore I lie with her, and she with me,", " And in our faults by lies we flatter'd be." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 139: O! call not me to justify the wrong", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 elsewhere; but in my sight,", "Dear heart, forbear to glance thine eye aside:", "What need'st thou wound with cunning, when thy might", "Is more than my o'erpress'd defence can bide?", "Let me excuse thee: ah! my love well knows", "Her pretty looks have been mine enemies;", "And therefore from my face she turns my foes,", "That they elsewhere might dart their injuries:", " Yet do not so; but since I am near slain,", " Kill me outright with looks, and rid my pain." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 140: Be wise as thou art cruel; do not press", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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, better it were,", "Though not to love, yet, love to tell me so;--", "As testy sick men, when their deaths be near,", "No news but health from their physicians know;--", "For, if I should despair, I should grow mad,", "And in my madness might speak ill of thee;", "Now this ill-wresting world is grown so bad,", "Mad slanderers by mad ears believed be.", " That I may not be so, nor thou belied,", " Bear thine eyes straight, though thy proud heart go wide." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 141: In faith I do not love thee with mine eyes", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 with thy tongue's tune delighted;", "Nor tender feeling, to base touches prone,", "Nor taste, nor smell, desire to be invited", "To any sensual feast with thee alone:", "But my five wits nor my five senses can", "Dissuade one foolish heart from serving thee,", "Who leaves unsway'd the likeness of a man,", "Thy proud heart's slave and vassal wretch to be:", " Only my plague thus far I count my gain,", " That she that makes me sin awards me pain." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 142: Love is my sin, and thy dear virtue hate", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 from those lips of thine,", "That have profan'd their scarlet ornaments", "And seal'd false bonds of love as oft as mine,", "Robb'd others' beds' revenues of their rents.", "Be it lawful I love thee, as thou lov'st those", "Whom thine eyes woo as mine importune thee:", "Root pity in thy heart, that, when it grows,", "Thy pity may deserve to pitied be.", " If thou dost seek to have what thou dost hide,", " By self-example mayst thou be denied!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 143: Lo, as a careful housewife runs to catch", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 neglected child holds her in chase,", "Cries to catch her whose busy care is bent", "To follow that which flies before her face,", "Not prizing her poor infant's discontent;", "So runn'st thou after that which flies from thee,", "Whilst I thy babe chase thee afar behind;", "But if thou catch thy hope, turn back to me,", "And play the mother's part, kiss me, be kind;", " So will I pray that thou mayst have thy 'Will,'", " If thou turn back and my loud crying still." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 144: Two loves I have of comfort and despair", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 evil,", "Tempteth my better angel from my side,", "And would corrupt my saint to be a devil,", "Wooing his purity with her foul pride.", "And whether that my angel be turn'd fiend,", "Suspect I may, yet not directly tell;", "But being both from me, both to each friend,", "I guess one angel in another's hell:", " Yet this shall I ne'er know, but live in doubt,", " Till my bad angel fire my good one out." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 145: Those lips that Love's own hand did make", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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,", "Chiding that tongue that ever sweet", "Was us'd in giving gentle doom;", "And taught it thus anew to greet;", "'I hate' she alter'd with an end,", "That followed it as gentle day,", "Doth follow night, who like a fiend", "From heaven to hell is flown away.", " 'I hate', from hate away she threw,", " And sav'd my life, saying 'not you'." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 146: Poor soul, the centre of my sinful earth", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 so short a lease,", "Dost thou upon thy fading mansion spend?", "Shall worms, inheritors of this excess,", "Eat up thy charge? Is this thy body's end?", "Then soul, live thou upon thy servant's loss,", "And let that pine to aggravate thy store;", "Buy terms divine in selling hours of dross;", "Within be fed, without be rich no more:", " So shall thou feed on Death, that feeds on men,", " And Death once dead, there's no more dying then." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 147: My love is as a fever longing still", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 love,", "Angry that his prescriptions are not kept,", "Hath left me, and I desperate now approve", "Desire is death, which physic did except.", "Past cure I am, now Reason is past care,", "And frantic-mad with evermore unrest;", "My thoughts and my discourse as madmen's are,", "At random from the truth vainly express'd;", " For I have sworn thee fair, and thought thee bright,", " Who art as black as hell, as dark as night." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 148: O me! what eyes hath Love put in my head", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 whereon my false eyes dote,", "What means the world to say it is not so?", "If it be not, then love doth well denote", "Love's eye is not so true as all men's: no,", "How can it? O! how can Love's eye be true,", "That is so vexed with watching and with tears?", "No marvel then, though I mistake my view;", "The sun itself sees not, till heaven clears.", " O cunning Love! with tears thou keep'st me blind,", " Lest eyes well-seeing thy foul faults should find." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 149: Canst thou, O cruel! say I love thee not", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 friend,", "On whom frown'st thou that I do fawn upon,", "Nay, if thou lour'st on me, do I not spend", "Revenge upon myself with present moan?", "What merit do I in my self respect,", "That is so proud thy service to despise,", "When all my best doth worship thy defect,", "Commanded by the motion of thine eyes?", " But, love, hate on, for now I know thy mind;", " Those that can see thou lov'st, and I am blind." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 150: O! from what power hast thou this powerful might", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 this becoming of things ill,", "That in the very refuse of thy deeds", "There is such strength and warrantise of skill,", "That, in my mind, thy worst all best exceeds?", "Who taught thee how to make me love thee more,", "The more I hear and see just cause of hate?", "O! though I love what others do abhor,", "With others thou shouldst not abhor my state:", " If thy unworthiness rais'd love in me,", " More worthy I to be belov'd of thee." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 151: Love is too young to know what conscience is", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 betraying me, I do betray", "My nobler part to my gross body's treason;", "My soul doth tell my body that he may", "Triumph in love; flesh stays no farther reason,", "But rising at thy name doth point out thee,", "As his triumphant prize. Proud of this pride,", "He is contented thy poor drudge to be,", "To stand in thy affairs, fall by thy side.", " No want of conscience hold it that I call", " Her 'love,' for whose dear love I rise and fall." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 152: In loving thee thou know'st I am forsworn", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 oaths' breach do I accuse thee,", "When I break twenty? I am perjur'd most;", "For all my vows are oaths but to misuse thee,", "And all my honest faith in thee is lost:", "For I have sworn deep oaths of thy deep kindness,", "Oaths of thy love, thy truth, thy constancy;", "And, to enlighten thee, gave eyes to blindness,", "Or made them swear against the thing they see;", " For I have sworn thee fair; more perjur'd I,", " To swear against the truth so foul a lie!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 153: Cupid laid by his brand and fell asleep", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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 fire of Love,", "A dateless lively heat, still to endure,", "And grew a seeting bath, which yet men prove", "Against strange maladies a sovereign cure.", "But at my mistress' eye Love's brand new-fired,", "The boy for trial needs would touch my breast;", "I, sick withal, the help of bath desired,", "And thither hied, a sad distemper'd guest,", " But found no cure, the bath for my help lies", " Where Cupid got new fire; my mistress' eyes." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet 154: The little Love-god lying once asleep", "author": "William Shakespeare", "lines": [ "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", "Was, 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 diseas'd; but I, my mistress' thrall,", " Came there for cure and this by that I prove,", " Love's fire heats water, water cools not love." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "To the Author of a Sonnet", "author": "George Gordon, Lord Byron", "lines": [ "Thy verse is \"sad\" enough, no doubt:", " A devilish deal more sad than witty!", "Why we should weep I can't find out,", " Unless for _thee_ we weep in pity.", "", "Yet there is one I pity more;", " And much, alas! I think he needs it:", "For he, I'm sure, will suffer sore,", " Who, to his own misfortune, reads it.", "", "Thy rhymes, without the aid of magic,", " May _once_ be read--but never after:", "Yet their effect's by no means tragic,", " Although by far too dull for laughter.", "", "But would you make our bosoms bleed,", "And of no common pang complain--", "If you would make us weep indeed,", "Tell us, you'll read them o'er again." ], "linecount": "16" }, { "title": "Sonnet. to Genevra", "author": "George Gordon, Lord Byron", "lines": [ "Thine eyes' blue tenderness, thy long fair hair,", " And the warm lustre of thy features--caught", " From contemplation--where serenely wrought,", "Seems Sorrow's softness charmed from its despair--", "Have thrown such speaking sadness in thine air,", " That--but I know thy blessed bosom fraught", " With mines of unalloyed and stainless thought--", "I should have deemed thee doomed to earthly care.", "With such an aspect, by his colours blent,", " When from his beauty-breathing pencil born,", "(Except that _thou_ hast nothing to repent)", " The Magdalen of Guido saw the morn--", "Such seem'st thou--but how much more excellent!", " With nought Remorse can claim--nor Virtue scorn." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet. to Genevra", "author": "George Gordon, Lord Byron", "lines": [ "Thy cheek is pale with thought, but not from woe,", " And yet so lovely, that if Mirth could flush", " Its rose of whiteness with the brightest blush,", "My heart would wish away that ruder glow:", "And dazzle not thy deep-blue eyes--but, oh!", " While gazing on them sterner eyes will gush,", " And into mine my mother's weakness rush,", "Soft as the last drops round Heaven's airy bow.", "For, through thy long dark lashes low depending,", " The soul of melancholy Gentleness", "Gleams like a Seraph from the sky descending,", " Above all pain, yet pitying all distress;", "At once such majesty with sweetness blending,", " I worship more, but cannot love thee less." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet on Chillon", "author": "George Gordon, Lord Byron", "lines": [ "Eternal Spirit of the chainless Mind!", " Brightest in dungeons, Liberty! thou art:", " For there thy habitation is the heart--", "The heart which love of thee alone can bind;", "And when thy sons to fetters are consigned--", " To fetters, and the damp vault's dayless gloom,", " Their country conquers with their martyrdom,", "And Freedom's fame finds wings on every wind.", "Chillon! thy prison is a holy place,", " And thy sad floor an altar--for 'twas trod,", "Until his very steps have left a trace", " Worn, as if thy cold pavement were a sod,", "By Bonnivard!--May none those marks efface!", " For they appeal from tyranny to God." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet to Lake Leman", "author": "George Gordon, Lord Byron", "lines": [ "Rousseau--Voltaire--our Gibbon--and De Staël--", " Leman! these names are worthy of thy shore,", " Thy shore of names like these! wert thou no more,", "Their memory thy remembrance would recall:", "To them thy banks were lovely as to all,", " But they have made them lovelier, for the lore", " Of mighty minds doth hallow in the core", "Of human hearts the ruin of a wall", " Where dwelt the wise and wondrous; but by _thee_", "How much more, Lake of Beauty! do we feel,", " In sweetly gliding o'er thy crystal sea,", "The wild glow of that not ungentle zeal,", " Which of the Heirs of Immortality", "Is proud, and makes the breath of Glory real!" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet: Political Greatness", "author": "Percy Bysshe Shelley", "lines": [ "Nor happiness, nor majesty, nor fame,", "Nor peace, nor strength, nor skill in arms or arts,", "Shepherd those herds whom tyranny makes tame;", "Verse echoes not one beating of their hearts,", "History is but the shadow of their shame,", "Art veils her glass, or from the pageant starts", "As to oblivion their blind millions fleet,", "Staining that Heaven with obscene imagery", "Of their own likeness. What are numbers knit", "By force or custom? Man who man would be,", "Must rule the empire of himself; in it", "Must be supreme, establishing his throne", "On vanquished will, quelling the anarchy", "Of hopes and fears, being himself alone." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet to Byron", "author": "Percy Bysshe Shelley", "lines": [ "If I esteemed you less, Envy would kill", "Pleasure, and leave to Wonder and Despair", "The ministration of the thoughts that fill", "The mind which, like a worm whose life may share", "A portion of the unapproachable,", "Marks your creations rise as fast and fair", "As perfect worlds at the Creator's will.", "", "But such is my regard that nor your power", "To soar above the heights where others ,", "Nor fame, that shadow of the unborn hour", "Cast from the envious future on the time,", "Move one regret for his unhonoured name", "Who dares these words:--the worm beneath the sod", "May lift itself in homage of the God." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet", "author": "Percy Bysshe Shelley", "lines": [ "FROM THE ITALIAN OF DANTE.", "", "DANTE ALIGHIERI TO GUIDO CAVALCANTI:", "", "Guido, I would that Lapo, thou, and I,", "Led by some strong enchantment, might ascend", "A magic ship, whose charmed sails should fly", "With winds at will where'er our thoughts might wend,", "So that no change, nor any evil chance", "Should mar our joyous voyage; but it might be,", "That even satiety should still enhance", "Between our hearts their strict community:", "And that the bounteous wizard then would place", "Vanna and Bice and my gentle love,", "Companions of our wandering, and would grace", "With passionate talk, wherever we might rove,", "Our time, and each were as content and free", "As I believe that thou and I should be." ], "linecount": "16" }, { "title": "Sonnet", "author": "Percy Bysshe Shelley", "lines": [ "FROM THE ITALIAN OF CAVALCANTI.", "", "GUIDO CAVALCANTI TO DANTE ALIGHIERI:", "", "Returning from its daily quest, my Spirit", "Changed thoughts and vile in thee doth weep to find:", "It grieves me that thy mild and gentle mind", "Those ample virtues which it did inherit", "Has lost. Once thou didst loathe the multitude", "Of blind and madding men--I then loved thee--", "I loved thy lofty songs and that sweet mood", "When thou wert faithful to thyself and me", "I dare not now through thy degraded state", "Own the delight thy strains inspire--in vain", "I seek what once thou wert--we cannot meet", "And we were wont. Again and yet again", "Ponder my words: so the false Spirit shall fly", "And leave to thee thy true integrity." ], "linecount": "16" }, { "title": "Sonnet. to a Balloon Laden With Knowledge", "author": "Percy Bysshe Shelley", "lines": [ "Bright ball of flame that through the gloom of even", "Silently takest thine aethereal way,", "And with surpassing glory dimm'st each ray", "Twinkling amid the dark blue depths of Heaven,--", "Unlike the fire thou bearest, soon shalt thou", "Fade like a meteor in surrounding gloom,", "Whilst that, unquenchable, is doomed to glow", "A watch-light by the patriot's lonely tomb;", "A ray of courage to the oppressed and poor;", "A spark, though gleaming on the hovel's hearth,", "Which through the tyrant's gilded domes shall roar;", "A beacon in the darkness of the Earth;", "A sun which, o'er the renovated scene,", "Shall dart like Truth where Falsehood yet has been." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet", "author": "Percy Bysshe Shelley", "lines": [ "Lift not the painted veil which those who live", "Call Life: though unreal shapes be pictured there,", "And it but mimic all we would believe", "With colours idly spread,--behind, lurk Fear", "And Hope, twin Destinies; who ever weave", "Their shadows, o'er the chasm, sightless and drear.", "I knew one who had lifted it--he sought,", "For his lost heart was tender, things to love", "But found them not, alas! nor was there aught", "The world contains, the which he could approve.", "Through the unheeding many he did move,", "A splendour among shadows, a bright blot", "Upon this gloomy scene, a Spirit that strove", "For truth, and like the Preacher found it not." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet: England in 1819", "author": "Percy Bysshe Shelley", "lines": [ "An old, mad, blind, despised, and dying king,--", "Princes, the dregs of their dull race, who flow", "Through public scorn,--mud from a muddy spring,--", "Rulers who neither see, nor feel, nor know,", "But leech-like to their fainting country cling,", "Till they drop, blind in blood, without a blow,--", "A people starved and stabbed in the untilled field,--", "An army, which liberticide and prey", "Makes as a two-edged sword to all who wield,--", "Golden and sanguine laws which tempt and slay;", "Religion Christless, Godless--a book sealed;", "A Senate,--Time's worst statute, unrepealed,--", "Are graves from which a glorious Phantom may", "Burst, to illumine our tempestuous day." ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet", "author": "Percy Bysshe Shelley", "lines": [ "Ye hasten to the grave! What seek ye there,", "Ye restless thoughts and busy purposes", "Of the idle brain, which the world's livery wear?", "O thou quick heart, which pantest to possess", "All that pale Expectation feigneth fair!", "Thou vainly curious mind which wouldest guess", "Whence thou didst come, and whither thou must go,", "And all that never yet was known would know--", "Oh, whither hasten ye, that thus ye press,", "With such swift feet life's green and pleasant path,", "Seeking, alike from happiness and woe,", "A refuge in the cavern of gray death?", "O heart, and mind, and thoughts! what thing do you", "Hope to inherit in the grave below?" ], "linecount": "14" }, { "title": "Sonnet--To Science", "author": "Edgar Allan Poe", "lines": [ "SCIENCE! true daughter of Old Time thou art!", " Who alterest all things with thy peering eyes.", "Why preyest thou thus upon the poet's heart,", " Vulture, whose wings are dull realities", "How should he love thee? or how deem thee wise,", " Who wouldst not leave him in his wandering", "To seek for treasure in the jewelled skies,", " Albeit he soared with an undaunted wing!", "Hast thou not dragged Diana from her car?", " And driven the Hamadryad from the wood", "To seek a shelter in some happier star?", " Hast thou not torn the Naiad from her flood,", "The Elfin from the green grass, and from me", "The summer dream beneath the tamarind tree?" ], "linecount": "14" } ]