Chapter 71 Sonnet XI-XL

And therefore if to love can be desert, I am not all unworthy. Cheeks as pale As these you see, and trembling knees that fail To bear the burden of a heavy heart,-- This weary minstrel-life that once was girt To climb Aornus, and can scarce avail To pipe now gainst the valley nightingale A melancholy music,--why advert To these things? O Beloved, it is plain I am not of thy worth nor for thy place ! And yet, because I love thee, I obtain From that same love this vindicating grace, To live on still in love, and yet in vain,-- To bless thee, yet renounce thee to thy face.

And therefore if to love can be desert, I am not all unworthy. Cheeks as pale As these you see, and trembling knees that fail To bear the burden of a heavy heart,-- This weary minstrel-life that once was girt To climb Aornus, and can scarce avail To pipe now gainst the valley nightingale A melancholy music,--why advert To these things? O Beloved, it is plain I am not of thy worth nor for thy place! And yet, because I love thee, I obtain From that same love this vindicating grace, To live on still in love, and yet in vain,-- To bless thee, yet renounce thee to thy face.

Indeed this very love which is my boast, And which, when rising up from breast to brow, Doth crown me with a ruby ​​large enow To draw mens eyes and prove the inner cost,-- This love even, all my worth, to the uttermost, I should not love withal, unless that thou Hadst set me an example, shown me how, When first thine earnest eyes with mine were crossed, And love called love. And thus, I cannot speak Of love even, as a good thing of my own: Thy soul hath snatched up mine all faint and weak, And placed it by thee on a golden throne,-- And that I love (O soul, we must be meek!)

Is by thee only, whom I love alone. Indeed this very love which is my boast, And which, when rising up from breast to brow, Doth crown me with ruby ​​large enow To draw mens eyes and prove the inner cost,-- This love even, all my worth, to the uttermost, I should not love withal, unless that thou Hadst set me an example, shown me how, When first thine earnest eyes with mine were crossed, And love called love. And thus, I cannot speak Of love even, as good thing of my own: Thy soul hath snatched up mine all faint and weak, And placed it by thee on a golden throne,-- And that I love (O soul, we must be meek--)

Is by thee only, whom I love alone. And wilt thou have me fashion into speech The love I bear thee, finding words enough, And hold the torch out, while the winds are rough, Between our faces, to cast light on each ?-- I drop it at thy feet. I cannot teach My hand to hold my spirit so far off From myself--me--that I should bring thee proof In words, of love hid in me out of reach. Nay, let the silence of my womanhood Commend my woman-love to thy belief,-- Seeing that I stand unwon, however wooed, And rend the garment of my life, in brief, By a most dauntless, voiceless fortitude,

Lest one touch of this heart convey its grief And wilt thou have me fashion into speech The love I bear thee, finding words enough, And hold the torch out, while the winds are rough, Between our faces, to cast light upon each? I drop it at thy feet. I cannot teach My hand to hold my spirit so far off From myself.. me.. that I should bring thee proof, In words of love hid in me...out of reach. Nay, let the silence of my womanhood Commend my woman-love to thy belief, Seeing that I stand unwon (however wooed) And rend the garment of my life in brief By a most dauntless, voiceless fortitude,

Lest one touch of this heart convey its grief. If thou must love me, let it be for nought Except for loves sake only. Do not say I love her for her smile--her look--her way Of speaking gently,--for a trick of thought That falls in well with mine, and certes brought A sense of pleasant ease on such a day-- For these things in themselves, Beloved, may Be changed, or change for thee,--and love, so wrought, May be unwrought so. Neither love me for Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheeks dry,-- A creature might forget to weep, who bore Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby !

But love me for loves sake, that evermore Thou mayst love on, through loves eternity. If thou must love me, let it be for nought Except for loves sake only. Do not say <i>"I love her for her smile--her look--her way Of speaking gently,--for a trick of thought That falls in well with mine, and certes brought A sense of pleasant ease on such a day" -</i> For these things in themselves, Beloved, may Be changed, or change for thee,--and love, so wrought, May be unwrought so. Neither love me for Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheeks dry, - A creature might forget to weep, who bore

Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby! But love me for loves sake, that evermore Thou mayst love on, through loves eternity. Oh, yes ! they love through all this world of ours ! I will not gainsay love, called love forsooth. I have heard love talked in my early youth, And since, not so long back but that the flowers Then gathered, smell still. Mussulmans and Giaours Throw kerchiefs at a smile, and have no ruth For any weeping. Polyphemes white tooth Slips on the nut if, after frequent showers, The shell is over-smooth,--and not so much Will turn the thing called love, aside to hate

Or else to oblivion. But thou art not such A lover, my Beloved ! thou canst wait Through sorrow and sickness, to bring souls to touch, And think it soon when others cry Too late. Oh, yes! they love through all this world of ours! I will not gainsay love, called love forsooth, I have heard love talked in my early youth, And since, not so long back but that the flowers Then gathered, smell still. Mussulmans and Giaours, Throw kerchiefs at a smile, and have no ruth For any weeping. Polyphemes white tooth Slips on the nut if, after frequent showers, The shell is over-smooth,-- and not so much

Will turn the thing called love, aside to hate Or else to oblivion. But thou art not such A lover, my Beloved! thou canst wait Through sorrow and sickness, to bring souls to touch, And think it soon when others cry <i>Too late.</i>