William Shakespeare (ca. 1564-1616)
Shakespeare's Sonnets: When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see
Sonnet 43
1When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see,
2For all the day they view things unrespected,
3But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee,
4And darkly bright, are bright in dark directed.
5Then thou whose shadow shadows doth make bright,
6How would thy shadow's form, form happy show
7To the clear day with thy much clearer light,
8When to un-seeing eyes thy shade shines so?
9How would (I say) mine eyes be blessèd made
10By looking on thee in the living day,
11When in dead night their fair imperfect shade
12Through heavy sleep on sightless eyes doth stay?
13 All days are nights to see till I see thee,
14 And nights bright days when dreams do shew thee me.
Notes
1] wink] shut my eyes.
2] An eleven-syllable line, as line 4.
4] bright in dark] Eyes were thought to emit light-beams (OED, "eye-beam").
5] The beloved's shadow sheds light on other shadows.
8] un-seeing] closed.
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): d1v-d2r.
First publication date:
1609
RPO poem editor: Ian Lancashire
RP edition: 2008
Recent editing: 1:2008/8/23
Form: sonnet
Rhyme: ababcdcdefefgg
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