#2 on top 500 poets Poet's Page Poems Quotes Comments Stats E-Books Biography VideosPoems by William Shakespeare : 3! " #$% prev. poem next poem Sonnets &o &he Sundry 'otes () *usi+ - Poem by William ShakespeareAutoplay next videoI.IT was a lording's daughter the !airest one o! threeThat li"ed o! her master as well as well might #eTill loo"ing on an $nglishman the !air'st that eye %ould see&er !an%y !ell a'turning.(ong was the %om#at dou#t!ul that love with love did !ightTo leave the master loveless or "ill the gallant "night)To put in pra%tise either alas it was a spite*nto the silly damsel+,ut one must #e re!used- more mi%"le was the painThat nothing %ould #e used to turn them #oth to gain.or o! the two the trusty "night was wounded with disdain)Alas she %ould not help it+Thus art with arms %ontending was vi%tor o! the day/hi%h #y a gi!t o! learning did #ear the maid away)Then lulla#y the learned man hath got the lady gay-.or now my song is ended.II.0n a day ala%" the day+(ove whose month was ever 1ay2pied a #lossom passing !air3laying in the wanton air)Through the velvet leaves the windAll unseen gan passage !ind-That the lover si%" to death/ish'd himsel! the heaven's #reath'Air' 4uoth he 'thy %hee"s may #low-Air would I might triumph so+,ut alas+ my hand hath sworn5e'er to plu%" thee !rom thy thorn)6ow ala%"+ !or youth unmeet)7outh so apt to plu%" a sweet.Thou !or whom 8ove would swear8uno #ut an $thiope were-Turning mortal !or thy love.'III.1y !lo%"s !eed not1y ewes #reed not1y rams speed notAll is amiss)(ove's denying.aith's de!ying&eart's renying9auser o! this.All my merry :igs are 4uite !orgotAll my lady's love is lost ;od wot)/here her !aith was !irmly !ix'd in loveThere a nay is pla%ed without remove.0ne silly %ross/rought all my loss-0 !rowning .ortune %ursed !i%"le dame+.or now I seeIn%onstan%y1ore in women than in men remain.In #la%" mourn IAll !ears s%orn I(ove hath !orlorn me(iving in thrall)&eart is #leedingAll help needing0 %ruel speeding.raughted with gall.1y shepherd's pipe %an sound no deal-1y wether's #ell rings dole!ul "nell-1y %urtail dog that wont to have play'd3lays not at all #ut seems a!raid-1y sighs so deep3ro%ure to weepIn howling wise to see my dole!ul plight.&ow sighs resoundThrough heartless ground(i"e a thousand van4uish'd men in #loody !ight+9lear wells spring not2weet #irds sing not;reen plants #ring not.orth their dye-&erds stand weeping.lo%"s all sleeping5ymphs #a%" peeping.ear!ully)All our pleasure "nown to us poor swainsAll our merry meetings on the plainsAll our evening sport !rom us is !ledAll our love is lost !or (ove is dead.arewell sweet lassThy li"e ne'er was.or a sweet %ontent the %ause o! all my moan)3oor 9orydon1ust live alone-0ther help !or him I see that there is none.I6./hen as thine eye hath %hose the dameAnd stall'd the deer that thou shouldst stri"e(et reason rule things worthy #lameAs well as !an%y partial might)Ta"e %ounsel o! some wiser head5either too young nor yet unwed.And when thou %omest thy tale to tell2mooth not thy tongue with !iled tal"(est she some su#tle pra%tise smell''A %ripple soon %an !ind a halt-'',ut plainly say thou lovest her wellAnd set thy person !orth to sell./hat though her !rowning #rows #e #ent&er %loudy loo"s will %alm ere night)And then too late she will repentThat thus dissem#led her delight-And twi%e desire ere it #e dayThat whi%h with s%orn she put away./hat though she strive to try her strengthAnd #an and #rawl and say thee nay&er !ee#le !or%e will yield at length/hen %ra!t hath taught her thus to say'&ad women #een so strong as menIn !aith you had not had it then.'And to her will !rame all thy ways-2pare not to spend and %hie!ly there/here thy desert may merit praise,y ringing in thy lady's ear)The strongest %astle tower and townThe golden #ullet #eats it down.2erve always with assured trustAnd in thy suit #e hum#le true-*nless thy lady prove un:ust3ress never thou to %hoose anew)/hen time shall serve #e thou not sla%"To pro!!er though she put thee #a%".The wiles and guiles that women wor"