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- Edition: The Sonnets
The Sonnets (Modern)
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136For shame deny that thou bear'st love to any,
137Who for thyself art so unprovident.
138Grant, if thou wilt, thou art beloved of many,
139But that thou none lov'st is most evident:
140For thou art so possessed with murd'rous hate,
141That 'gainst thyself thou stick'st not to conspire,
142Seeking that beauteous roof to ruinate
143Which to repair should be thy chief desire:
144Oh, change thy thought, that I may change my mind;
145Shall hate be fairer lodged than gentle love?
146Be as thy presence is, gracious and kind,
147Or to thyself at least kind-hearted prove;
148 Make thee another self for love of me,
149 That beauty still may live in thine or thee.
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151As fast as thou shalt wane, so fast thou grow'st
152In one of thine, from that which thou departest;
153And that fresh blood which youngly thou bestow'st
154Thou mayst call thine, when thou from youth convertest.
155Herein lives wisdom, beauty, and increase;
156Without this, folly, age, and cold decay.
157If all were minded so, the times should cease,
158And threescore year would make the world away:
159Let those whom nature hath not made for store,
160Harsh, featureless, and rude, barrenly perish;
161Look whom she best endowed, she gave the more;
162Which bounteous gift thou shouldst in bounty cherish:
163 She carved thee for her seal, and meant thereby
164 Thou shouldst print more, not let that copy die.
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166When I do count the clock that tells the time,
167And see the brave day sunk in hideous night;
168When I behold the violet past prime,
169And sable curls all silvered o'er with white:
170When lofty trees I see barren of leaves,
171Which erst from heat did canopy the herd,
172And summer's green all girded up in sheaves
173Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard:
174Then of thy beauty do I question make,
175That thou among the wastes of time must go,
176Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake,
177And die as fast as they see others grow,
178 And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defense,
179 Save breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence.