English poem
Sonnet 46: Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war
Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war, How to divide the conquest of thy sight; Mine eye my heart thy picture's sight would bar, My heart mine eye the freedom of that right. My heart doth plead that thou in him dost lie,-- A closet never pierc'd with crystal eyes-- But the defendant doth that plea deny, And says in him thy fair appearance lies. To side this title is impannelled A quest of thoughts, all tenants to the heart; And by their verdict is determined The clear eye's moiety, and the dear heart's part: As thus; mine eye's due is thy outward part, And my heart's right, thy inward love of heart.
More by William Shakespeare
- Sonnet 42: That thou hast her it is not all my grief
- Sonnet 43: When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see
- Sonnet 44: If the dull substance of my flesh were thought
- Sonnet 45: The other two, slight air, and purging fire
- Sonnet 47: Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took
- Sonnet 48: How careful was I when I took my way
- Sonnet 49: Against that time, if ever that time come
- Sonnet 4: Unthrifty loveliness, why dost thou spend