The little Love-god lying once asleepLaid by his side his heart-inflaming brand,Whilst many nymphs that vowed chaste life to keepCame tripping by; but in her maiden handThe fairest votary took up that fireWhich many legions of true hea...

Cupid laid by his brand, and fell asleep:A maid of Dian's this advantage found,And his love-kindling fire did quickly steepIn a cold valley-fountain of that ground;Which borrowed from this holy fire of LoveA dateless lively heat, still...

In loving thee thou know'st I am forsworn,But thou art twice forsworn, to me love swearing:In act thy bed-vow broke, and new faith tornIn vowing new hate after new love bearing.But why of two oaths' breach do I accuse thee,When I break...

О, from what pow'r hast thou this pow'rful mightWith insufficiency my heart to sway,To make me give the lie to my true sight,And swear that brightness doth not grace the day?Whence hast thou this becoming of things ill,That in the very...

When I do count the clock that tells the time,And see the brave day sunk in hideous night, When I behold the violet past prime, And sable curls all silvered o'er with white, When lofty trees I see barren of leaves, Which erst from heat...

As an imperfect actor on the stage, Who with his fear is put besides his part, Or some fierce thing replete with too much rage, Whose strength's abundance weakens his own heart; So I, for fear of trust, forget to say The perfect ceremo...

As fast as thou shalt wane, so fast thou grow'st In one of thine, from that which thou departest,And that fresh blood which youngly thou bestow'st Thou mayst call thine, when thou from youth convertest:Herein lives wisdom, beauty, and incr...

My glass shall not persuade me I am old, So long as youth and thou are of one date, But when in thee time's furrows I behold, Then look I death my days should expiate: For all that beauty that doth cover thee Is but the seemly raiment...

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate:Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date; Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gol...

Let those who are in favour with their stars Of public honour and proud titles boast, Whilst I, whom fortune of such triumph bars,Unlooked for joy in that I honour most. Great princes' favourites their fair leaves spread But as the mar...