Shakespeare's Sonnets: For shame deny that thou bear'st love to any

Shakespeare's Sonnets: For shame deny that thou bear'st love to any

Sonnet 10

Original Text
SHAKE-SPEARES SONNETS (London: G. Eld for T. T. and sold by William Aspley, 1609): b3r.
1For shame deny that thou bear'st love to any,
2Who for thy self art so unprovident.
3Grant if thou wilt, thou art belov'd of many,
4But that thou none lov'st is most evident:
5For thou art so possess't with murd'rous hate
6That 'gainst thy self thou stick'st not to conspire,
7Seeking that beaut'ous roof to ruinate
8Which to repair should be thy chief desire:
9O change thy thought that I may change my mind!
10Shall hate be fairer lodg'd than gentle love?
11Be as thy presence is, gracious and kind,
12Or to thy self at least kind-hearted prove.
13    Make thee an other self for love of me,
14    That beauty still may live in thine or thee.

Notes

3] thou art] possibly "thou 'rt". Back to Line
6] stick'st not] does not scruple. Back to Line
7] beaut'ous] beauteous Q. roof] dwelling place or lodging (see below line 10 and OED 1c, in which the first two instances of this sense are both by Shakespeare). ruinate] destroy, ruin. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1609
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
2008
Rhyme
ababcdcdefefgg
Form
sonnet