William Shakespeare (ca. 1564-1616)
Shakespeare's Sonnets: For shame deny that thou bear'st love to any
Sonnet 10
1For shame deny that thou bear'st love to any,
2Who for thy self art so unprovident.
3Grant if thou wilt, thou art belov'd of many,
4But that thou none lov'st is most evident:
5For thou art so possess't with murd'rous hate
6That 'gainst thy self thou stick'st not to conspire,
7Seeking that beaut'ous roof to ruinate
8Which to repair should be thy chief desire:
9O change thy thought that I may change my mind!
10Shall hate be fairer lodg'd than gentle love?
11Be as thy presence is, gracious and kind,
12Or to thy self at least kind-hearted prove.
13 Make thee an other self for love of me,
14 That beauty still may live in thine or thee.
Notes
3] thou art] possibly "thou 'rt".
6] stick'st not] does not scruple.
7] beaut'ous] beauteous Q. roof] dwelling place or lodging (see below line 10 and OED 1c, in which the first two instances of this sense are both by Shakespeare). ruinate] destroy, ruin.
Online text copyright © 2012, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.
Original text: SHAKE-SPEARES SONNETS (London: G. Eld for T. T. and sold by William Aspley, 1609): b3r.
First publication date:
1609
RPO poem editor: Ian Lancashire
RP edition: 2008
Recent editing: 1:2008/8/21
Form: sonnet
Rhyme: ababcdcdefefgg
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