Shakespeare's Sonnets: Oh truant muse, what shall be thy amends

written by


« Reload image

Oh truant muse, what shall be thy amendsFor thy neglect of truth in beauty dyed?Both truth and beauty on my love depends:So dost thou too, and therein dignified.Make answer, muse, wilt thou not haply sayTruth needs no colour with his colour fixt,Beauty no pencil, beauty's truth to lay,But best is best, if never intermix't?Because he needs no praise, wilt thou be dumb?Excuse not silence so, for 't lies in theeTo make him much out-live a gilded tombAnd to be prais'd of ages yet to be. Then do thy office, muse, I teach thee how To make him seem long hence, as he shows now.

© William Shakespeare