The Dark Lady Sonnets (127 - 154) Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCBCDEDEFGFGHH A IJIJKLKLMNMNOO O CPCPMQMQOGOGRR O STSTUOUOOVOVBB O WXWXYZYZBOBOOO O A2B2A2B2SC2D2E2OWOWF F O ZA2ZA2SF2SG2H2I2J2I2 A2A2 A K2L2K2L2A2M2A2M2N2ON 2OA2A2 A L2OL2OOK2OK2L2O2L2O2 L2L2 A P2L2BL2ASASYA2YA2L2 A OA2OA2OQ2OQ2R2OR2OS2 T2 A U2OU2OV2E2V2E2PYPYA2 A2 O W2WV2WUQ2UO

CXXVIIA
In the old age black was not counted fairB
Or if it were it bore not beauty's nameC
But now is black beauty's successive heirB
And beauty slandered with a bastard shameC
For since each hand hath put on Nature's powerD
Fairing the foul with Art's false borrowed faceE
Sweet beauty hath no name no holy bowerD
But is profaned if not lives in disgraceE
Therefore my mistress' eyes are raven blackF
Her eyes so suited and they mourners seemG
At such who not born fair no beauty lackF
Sland'ring creation with a false esteemG
Yet so they mourn becoming of their woeH
That every tongue says beauty should look soH
-
CXXVIIIA
-
How oft when thou my music music play'stI
Upon that blessed wood whose motion soundsJ
With thy sweet fingers when thou gently sway'stI
The wiry concord that mine ear confoundsJ
Do I envy those jacks that nimble leapK
To kiss the tender inward of thy handL
Whilst my poor lips which should that harvest reapK
At the wood's boldness by thee blushing standL
To be so tickled they would change their stateM
And situation with those dancing chipsN
O'er whom thy fingers walk with gentle gaitM
Making dead wood more bless'd than living lipsN
Since saucy jacks so happy are in thisO
Give them thy fingers me thy lips to kissO
-
CXXIXO
-
The expense of spirit in a waste of shameC
Is lust in action and till action lustP
Is perjured murderous bloody full of blameC
Savage extreme rude cruel not to trustP
Enjoyed no sooner but despised straightM
Past reason hunted and no sooner hadQ
Past reason hated as a swallowed baitM
On purpose laid to make the taker madQ
Mad in pursuit and in possession soO
Had having and in quest to have extremeG
A bliss in proof and proved a very woeO
Before a joy proposed behind a dreamG
All this the world well knows yet none knows wellR
To shun the heaven that leads men to this hellR
-
CXXXO
-
My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sunS
Coral is far more red than her lips redT
If snow be white why then her breasts are dunS
If hairs be wires black wires grow on her headT
I have seen roses damasked red and whiteU
But no such roses see I in her cheeksO
And in some perfumes is there more delightU
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeksO
I love to hear her speak yet well I knowO
That music hath a far more pleasing soundV
I grant I never saw a goddess goO
My mistress when she walks treads on the groundV
And yet by heaven I think my love as rareB
As any she belied with false compareB
-
CXXXIO
-
Thou art as tyrannous so as thou artW
As those whose beauties proudly make them cruelX
For well thou know'st to my dear doting heartW
Thou art the fairest and most precious jewelX
Yet in good faith some say that thee beholdY
Thy face hath not the power to make love groanZ
To say they err I dare not be so boldY
Although I swear it to myself aloneZ
And to be sure that is not false I swearB
A thousand groans but thinking on thy faceO
One on another's neck do witness bearB
Thy black is fairest in my judgment's placeO
In nothing art thou black save in thy deedsO
And thence this slander as I think proceedsO
-
CXXXIIO
-
Thine eyes I love and they as pitying meA2
Knowing thy heart torments me with disdainB2
Have put on black and loving mourners beA2
Looking with pretty ruth upon my painB2
And truly not the morning sun of heavenS
Better becomes the grey cheeks of the eastC2
Nor that full star that ushers in the evenD2
Doth half that glory to the sober westE2
As those two mourning eyes become thy faceO
O let it then as well beseem thy heartW
To mourn for me since mourning doth thee graceO
And suit thy pity like in every partW
Then will I swear beauty herself is blackF
And all they foul that thy complexion lackF
-
CXXXIIIO
-
Beshrew that heart that makes my heart to groanZ
For that deep wound it gives my friend and meA2
Is't not enough to torture me aloneZ
But slave to slavery my sweet'st friend must beA2
Me from myself thy cruel eye hath takenS
And my next self thou harder hast engrossedF2
Of him myself and thee I am forsakenS
A torment thrice three fold thus to be crossedG2
Prison my heart in thy steel bosom's wardH2
But then my friend's heart let my poor heart bailI2
Whoe'er keeps me let my heart be his guardJ2
Thou canst not then use rigour in my jailI2
And yet thou wilt for I being pent in theeA2
Perforce am thine and all that is in meA2
-
CXXXIVA
-
So now I have confessed that he is thineK2
And I my self am mortgaged to thy willL2
Myself I'll forfeit so that other mineK2
Thou wilt restore to be my comfort stillL2
But thou wilt not nor he will not be freeA2
For thou art covetous and he is kindM2
He learned but surety like to write for meA2
Under that bond that him as fast doth bindM2
The statute of thy beauty thou wilt takeN2
Thou usurer that put'st forth all to useO
And sue a friend came debtor for my sakeN2
So him I lose through my unkind abuseO
Him have I lost thou hast both him and meA2
He pays the whole and yet am I not freeA2
-
CXXXVA
-
Whoever hath her wish thou hast thy WillL2
And Will to boot and Will in over plusO
More than enough am I that vexed thee stillL2
To thy sweet will making addition thusO
Wilt thou whose will is large and spaciousO
Not once vouchsafe to hide my will in thineK2
Shall will in others seem right graciousO
And in my will no fair acceptance shineK2
The sea all water yet receives rain stillL2
And in abundance addeth to his storeO2
So thou being rich in Will add to thy WillL2
One will of mine to make thy large will moreO2
Let no unkind no fair beseechers killL2
Think all but one and me in that one WillL2
-
CXXXVIA
-
If thy soul check thee that I come so nearP2
Swear to thy blind soul that I was thy WillL2
And will thy soul knows is admitted thereB
Thus far for love my love suit sweet fulfilL2
Will will fulfil the treasure of thy loveA
Ay fill it full with wills and my will oneS
In things of great receipt with ease we proveA
Among a number one is reckoned noneS
Then in the number let me pass untoldY
Though in thy store's account I one must beA2
For nothing hold me so it please thee holdY
That nothing me a something sweet to theeA2
Make but my name thy love and love that stillL2
And then thou lovest me for my name is 'Will '-
-
CXXXVIIA
-
Thou blind fool Love what dost thou to mine eyesO
That they behold and see not what they seeA2
They know what beauty is see where it liesO
Yet what the best is take the worst to beA2
If eyes corrupt by over partial looksO
Be anchored in the bay where all men rideQ2
Why of eyes' falsehood hast thou forged hooksO
Whereto the judgment of my heart is tiedQ2
Why should my heart think that a several plotR2
Which my heart knows the wide world's common placeO
Or mine eyes seeing this say this is notR2
To put fair truth upon so foul a faceO
In things right true my heart and eyes have erredS2
And to this false plague are they now transferredT2
-
CXXXVIIIA
-
When my love swears that she is made of truthU2
I do believe her though I know she liesO
That she might think me some untutored youthU2
Unlearned in the world's false subtletiesO
Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me youngV2
Although she knows my days are past the bestE2
Simply I credit her false speaking tongueV2
On both sides thus is simple truth suppressedE2
But wherefore says she not she is unjustP
And wherefore say not I that I am oldY
O love's best habit is in seeming trustP
And age in love loves not to have years toldY
Therefore I lie with her and she with meA2
And in our faults by lies we flattered beA2
-
CXXXIXO
-
O call not me to justify the wrongW2
That thy unkindness lays upon my heartW
Wound me not with thine eye but with thy tongueV2
Use power with power and slay me not by artW
Tell me thou lov'st elsewhere but in my sightU
Dear heart forbear to glance thine eye asideQ2
What need'st thou wound with cunning when thy mightU
Is more than my oO

William Shakespeare



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