Shakespeare's Sonnets: My tongue-tied muse in manners holds her still

Shakespeare's Sonnets: My tongue-tied muse in manners holds her still

Sonnet 85

Original Text
SHAKE-SPEARES SONNETS (London: G. Eld for T. T. and sold by William Aspley, 1609): f2v.
2While comments of your praise, richly compil'd,
6And like unlettered clerk still cry "Amen"
8In polish't form of well-refinèd pen.
9Hearing you prais'd, I say, "'tis so, 'tis true,"
10And to the most of praise add some-thing more,
11But that is in my thought, whose love to you
12(Though words come hind-most) holds his rank before.

Notes

1] still] quiet. Back to Line
3] Reserve] set apart (OED, "reserve," v.1, 3.a.). golden quill] aureate or high style. Back to Line
4] fil'd: made perfect, filed. Back to Line
5] other] others. Back to Line
7] able spirit] possibly the rival poet ("spirit" is pronounced as a single syllable; cf. OED, "sprite"). affords] supplies. Back to Line
13] "Then respect other [poets] for ..." Back to Line
14] dumb] mute. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1609
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
2008
Form