English poem
Sonnet 20: A woman's face with nature's own hand painted
A woman's face with nature's own hand painted, Hast thou, the master mistress of my passion; A woman's gentle heart, but not acquainted With shifting change, as is false women's fashion: An eye more bright than theirs, less false in rolling, Gilding the object whereupon it gazeth; A man in hue all 'hues' in his controlling, Which steals men's eyes and women's souls amazeth. And for a woman wert thou first created; Till Nature, as she wrought thee, fell a-doting, And by addition me of thee defeated, By adding one thing to my purpose nothing. But since she prick'd thee out for women's pleasure, Mine be thy love and thy love's use their treasure.
More by William Shakespeare
- Sonnet 17: Who will believe my verse in time to come
- Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
- Sonnet 19: Devouring Time, blunt thou the lion's paws
- Sonnet 1: From fairest creatures we desire increase
- Sonnet 21: So is it not with me as with that Muse
- Sonnet 22: My glass shall not persuade me I am old
- Sonnet 23: As an unperfect actor on the stage
- Sonnet 24: Mine eye hath play'd the painter and hath stell'd