Shakespeare's Sonnets: Lord of my love, to whom in vassalage

Shakespeare's Sonnets: Lord of my love, to whom in vassalage

Sonnet 26

Original Text
SHAKE-SPEARES SONNETS (London: G. Eld for T. T. and sold by William Aspley, 1609): c2r-c2v.
1Lord of my love, to whom in vassalage
2Thy merit hath my duty strongly knit,
3To thee I send this written ambassage
4To witness duty, not to shew my wit.
5Duty so great, which wit so poor as mine
6May make seem bare, in wanting words to shew it,
7But that I hope some good conceit of thine
8In thy soul's thought (all naked) will bestow it:
9Till whatsoever star that guides my moving,
10Points on me graciously with fair aspect,
11And puts apparel on my tottered loving
12To show me worthy of their sweet respect.
13    Then may I dare to boast how I do love thee,
14    Till then, not show my head where thou may'st prove me.

Notes

1] Until his accession to the earldom, William Herbert was termed "Lord Herbert." Back to Line
6] shew it] possibly elided. Back to Line
8] will bestow] willbstow Q. bestow it] possibly elided. Back to Line
10] aspect] angle of (astral or planetary) influence. Back to Line
11] tottered] tattered. Back to Line
12] their] Q; thy Jackson. The apparent referent, "whatsoever star" (9) is singular, but Shakespeare does not slavishly make noun and verb agree in number. Back to Line
13] Lines 13-14 are both extrametrical. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1609
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
2006
Rhyme
ababcdcdefefgg
Form
sonnet