Shakespeare's Sonnets (1923) Yale/Text/Sonnet 19

by William Shakespeare

For other versions of this work, see Sonnet 19 (Shakespeare).

Layout 2

19

Devouring Time, blunt thou the lion's paws,
And make the earth devour her own sweet brood;
Pluck the keen teeth from the fierce tiger's jaws,
And burn the long-liv'd phœnix in her blood; 4
Make glad and sorry seasons as thou fleets,
And do whate'er thou wilt, swift-footed Time,
To the wide world and all her fading sweets;
But I forbid thee one most heinous crime: 8
O, carve not with thy hours my love's fair brow,
Nor draw no lines there with thine antique pen;
Him in thy course untainted do allow
For beauty's pattern to succeeding men. 12
Yet do thy worst, old Time: despite thy wrong,
My love shall in my verse ever live young.

 

5 fleets: hastest
10 antique; cf. n.