English poem
Sonnet 149: Canst thou, O cruel! say I love thee not
Canst thou, O cruel! say I love thee not, When I against myself with thee partake? Do I not think on thee, when I forgot Am of my self, all tyrant, for thy sake? Who hateth thee that I do call my friend, On whom frown'st thou that I do fawn upon, Nay, if thou lour'st on me, do I not spend Revenge upon myself with present moan? What merit do I in my self respect, That is so proud thy service to despise, When all my best doth worship thy defect, Commanded by the motion of thine eyes? But, love, hate on, for now I know thy mind; Those that can see thou lov'st, and I am blind.
More by William Shakespeare
- Sonnet 144: Two loves I have of comfort and despair
- Sonnet 145: Those lips that Love's own hand did make
- Sonnet 146: Poor soul, the centre of my sinful earth
- Sonnet 147: My love is as a fever longing still
- Sonnet 14: Not from the stars do I my judgement pluck
- Sonnet 152: In loving thee thou know'st I am forsworn
- Sonnet 153: Cupid laid by his brand and fell asleep
- Sonnet 154: The little Love-god lying once asleep