Sonnets

Sonnet 46

Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war,
How to divide the conquest of sight,
Mine eye, my heart picture’s sight would bar,
My heart, mine eye the freedom of that right,
My heart plead that in him lie,
A closet never pierced with crystal eyes;
But the defendant that plea deny,
And says in him fair appearance lies.
To side this title is impanelled
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 outward part,
And my heart’s right, inward love of heart.

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See its words in the cloud.

Modern spelling for reading. The edition is public domain in the United States. Edition source.