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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 gavest me thine, not to give back again. |
As an unperfect actor on the stage |
Who with his fear is put besides 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'ercharged with burden of mine own love's might. |
O, let my books 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. |
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 the painter's art. |
For through the painter must you see his skill, |
To find where your true image pictured 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. |
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 beloved |
Where I may not remove nor be removed. |
ord 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. |
Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed, |
The dear repose for limbs with travel tired; |
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. |
ow can I then return in happy plight, |
That am debarr'd the benefit of rest? |
When day's oppression is not eased 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 them 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 strengthseem stronger. |
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, |
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