English poem
Sonnet 43: When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see
When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see, For all the day they view things unrespected; But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee, And darkly bright, are bright in dark directed. Then thou, whose shadow shadows doth make bright, How would thy shadow's form form happy show To the clear day with thy much clearer light, When to unseeing eyes thy shade shines so! How would, I say, mine eyes be blessed made By looking on thee in the living day, When in dead night thy fair imperfect shade Through heavy sleep on sightless eyes doth stay! All days are nights to see till I see thee, And nights bright days when dreams do show thee me.
More by William Shakespeare
- Sonnet 3: Look in thy glass and tell the face thou viewest
- Sonnet 40: Take all my loves, my love, yea take them all
- Sonnet 41: Those pretty wrongs that liberty commits
- Sonnet 42: That thou hast her it is not all my grief
- Sonnet 44: If the dull substance of my flesh were thought
- Sonnet 45: The other two, slight air, and purging fire
- Sonnet 46: Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war
- Sonnet 47: Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took