Shakespeare's Sonnets: Thou art as tyrannous, so as thou art

Shakespeare's Sonnets: Thou art as tyrannous, so as thou art

Sonnet

Original Text
SHAKE-SPEARES SONNETS (London: G. Eld for T. T. and sold by William Aspley, 1609): h4r.
4Thou art the fairest and most precious jewel.
5Yet in good faith some say that thee behold
7To say they err, I dare not be so bold,
8Although I swear it to my self alone,
9And to be sure that is not false, I swear
10A thousand groans but thinking on thy face;
12Thy black is fairest in my judgement's place.
13    In nothing art thou black save in thy deeds,
14    And thence this slander, as I think, proceeds.

Notes

1] so as thou art] such as you are. Back to Line
2] Extrametrical, with line 4. Back to Line
3] dear] affectionate (OED, "dear," a.1, and n.2, 3). Back to Line
6] pow'r: power Q. Back to Line
11] One on another's neck] one "groan" after another. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1609
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
2008
Form