Shakespeare’s Shakespeare’s Sonnet 17Sonnet 17

Who will believe my

verse in time to

come

If it were If it were filled filled withwith

your most your most high deserts?high deserts?

Though yet heaven knows

it is but as a

tomb

Which hides your Which hides your life life

and shows and shows not half your partsnot half your parts

If I If I couldcould writewrite

the the beaubeautytyof of your your eyeseyes

And in fresh And in fresh numbers numbers

number all number all your gracesyour graces

The age to come The age to come would say, “would say, “

This poet lies:This poet lies:

Such Such heavenly touches heavenly touches ne’erne’er touched touched earthly earthly faces”faces”

So should my So should my papers, yellowed papers, yellowed

with their agewith their age

Be scorned like old men

of less truth than

tongue,

And your true And your true rights be termed rights be termed a a poet’s ragepoet’s rage

And stretchèd And stretchèd metre metre

of an antique of an antique song:song:

But were But were some child of yours some child of yours

alive that alive that time,time,

You should live You should live twice, twice,

in it and in my in it and in my rhyme.rhyme.

The Shakespearean The Shakespearean sonnet projectsonnet project

by Giulia Lavarda, by Giulia Lavarda, January 2008January 2008