Shakespeare's Sonnets: Oh how thy worth with manners may I sing

Shakespeare's Sonnets: Oh how thy worth with manners may I sing

Sonnet 39

Original Text
SHAKE-SPEARES SONNETS (London: G. Eld for T. T. and sold by William Aspley, 1609): d1r.
1Oh how thy worth with manners may I sing
2When thou art all the better part of me?
3What can mine own praise to mine own self bring,
4And what is't but mine own when I praise thee?
5Even for this, let us divided live,
6And our dear love lose name of single one,
7That by this separation I may give
8That due to thee which thou deserv'st alone.
9Oh absence, what a torment would'st thou prove,
10Were it not thy sour leisure gave sweet leave
11To entertain the time with thoughts of love,
12Which time and thoughts so sweetly dost deceive,
13    And that thou teachest how to make one twain,
14    By praising him here who doth hence remain.

Notes

2] the better part] sometimes an allusion to a friend, the soul, a spouse (OED, "better, a., 3c). Back to Line
5] Even for this] For exactly this reason. Back to Line
10] sour] disagreeable. Back to Line
12] dost] the second-person form of the verb suggests that the beloved is meant as the subject, although grammatically it is "time and thoughts" . Back to Line
13] thou] absence (line 9). one twain] two of one. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1609
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
2008
Rhyme
ababcdcdefefgg
Form
sonnet