Shakespeare's Sonnets: Then let not winter's wragged hand deface

Shakespeare's Sonnets: Then let not winter's wragged hand deface

Sonnet 6

Original Text
SHAKE-SPEARES SONNETS (London: G. Eld for T. T. and sold by William Aspley, 1609): b2r.
1Then let not winter's wragged hand deface
2In thee thy summer ere thou be distill'd:
3Make sweet some vial, treasure thou some place,
4With beauty's treasure ere it be self-kill'd.
5That use is not forbidden usury
6Which happies those that pay the willing loan;
7That's for thy self to breed an other thee,
8Or ten times happ'er, be it ten for one:
9Ten times thy self were happ'er than thou art.
10If ten of thine ten times refigur'd thee,
11Then what could death do if thou should'st depart,
12Leaving thee living in posterity?
13    Be not self-will'd, for thou art much too fair
14    To be death's conquest and make worms thine heir.

Notes

1] wragged] ragged, rough. deface] spoil, make (the face) ugly. Back to Line
3] vial] womb. Back to Line
4] beauty's] beautits Q. Back to Line
8] happ'er] happier Q. Back to Line
9] happ'er] happier Q. art.] art, Q. Back to Line
10] refigur'd] made another image of. Back to Line
13] self-will'd,] self-will'd Q. too fair] too fair, Q. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1609
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
2008
Rhyme
ababcdcdefefgg
Form
sonnet