Shakespeare's Sonnets: As fast as thou shalt wane, so fast thou grow'st

Shakespeare's Sonnets: As fast as thou shalt wane, so fast thou grow'st

Sonnet 11

Original Text
SHAKE-SPEARES SONNETS (London: G. Eld for T. T. and sold by William Aspley, 1609): b3r.
1As fast as thou shalt wane, so fast thou grow'st
2In one of thine, from that which thou depart'st,
3And that fresh blood which youngly thou bestow'st
4Thou may'st call thine, when thou from youth convert'st;
5Herein lives wisdom, beauty, and increase,
6Without this, folly, age, and cold decay;
7If all were minded so, the times should cease,
8And threescore year would make the world away:
9Let those whom nature hath not made for store,
10Harsh, featureless, and rude, barrenly perish;
11Look whom she best endow'd, she gave the more,
12Which bount'ous gift thou should'st in bounty cherish.
13    She carv'd thee for her seal and meant thereby
14    Thou should'st print more, not let that copy die.

Notes

1] grow'st] growest Q. Back to Line
4] convert'st] conuertest Q ("turns"). Back to Line
6] Without this] outside this. Back to Line
8] threescore year] sixty years, the absolute terminus of any person's life. Back to Line
10] perhaps elided as "per'sh". Back to Line
11] the] possibly "thee". Back to Line
12] bount'ous] bounteous Q. perhaps elided as "cher'sh". Back to Line
13] seal] a stamp by which an authority signs its approval. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1609
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
2008
Rhyme
ababcdcdefefgg
Form
sonnet