English poem
Sonnet 90: Then hate me when thou wilt; if ever, now
Then hate me when thou wilt; if ever, now; Now, while the world is bent my deeds to cross, Join with the spite of fortune, make me bow, And do not drop in for an after-loss: Ah! do not, when my heart hath 'scap'd this sorrow, Come in the rearward of a conquer'd woe; Give not a windy night a rainy morrow, To linger out a purpos'd overthrow. If thou wilt leave me, do not leave me last, When other petty griefs have done their spite, But in the onset come: so shall I taste At first the very worst of fortune's might; And other strains of woe, which now seem woe, Compar'd with loss of thee, will not seem so.
More by William Shakespeare
- Sonnet 87: Farewell! thou art too dear for my possessing
- Sonnet 88: When thou shalt be dispos'd to set me light
- Sonnet 89: Say that thou didst forsake me for some fault
- Sonnet 8: Music to hear, why hear'st thou music sadly?
- Sonnet 91: Some glory in their birth, some in their skill
- Sonnet 92: But do thy worst to steal thyself away
- Sonnet 93: So shall I live, supposing thou art true
- Sonnet 94: They that have power to hurt, and will do none