Shake-speares Sonnets, Never before Imprinted/Sonnet 12

by William Shakespeare

For other versions of this work, see Sonnet 12 (Shakespeare).

12When I doe count the clock that tels the time,And see the braue day sunck in hidious night,When I behold the violet past prime,And sable curls or siluer'd ore with white:When lofty trees I see barren of leaues,Which erst from heat did canopie the herd And Sommers greene all girded vp in sheauesBorne on the beare with white and bristly beard:Then of thy beauty do I question makeThat thou among the wastes of time must goe,Since sweets and beauties do them-selues forsake,And die as fast as they see others grow,And nothing gainst Times sieth can make defenceSaue breed to braue him, when he takes thee hence.