Shakespeare's Sonnets (1923) Yale/Text/Sonnet 37
For other versions of this work, see Sonnet 37 (Shakespeare).
37
As a decrepit father takes delight
To see his active child do deeds of youth,
So I, made lame by fortune's dearest spite,
Take all my comfort of thy worth and truth; 4
For whether beauty, birth, or wealth, or wit,
Or any of these all, or all, or more,
Entitled in thy parts do crowned sit,
I make my love engrafted to this store: 8
So then I am not lame, poor, nor despis'd,
Whilst that this shadow doth such substance give
That I in thy abundance am suffic'd
And by a part of all thy glory live. 12
Look what is best, that best I wish in thee:
This wish I have; then ten times happy me!
3 dearest spite: worst malice
5–7 Cf. n.
7 Entitled: rightfully
8 engrafted: added to
10 shadow: imagination
11 suffic'd: contented