When I have seen by Time's fell hand defaced
The rich-proud cost of outworn buried age;
When sometime lofty towers I see down-razed
And brass eternal slave to mortal rage;
When I have seen the hungry ocean gain
Advantage on the kingdom of the shore,
And the firm soil win of the watery main,
Increasing store with loss, and loss with store;
When I have seen such interchange of state,
Or state it self confounded to decay,
Ruin hath taught me thus to ruminate
That Time will come and take my love away.
    This thought is as a death which cannot choose
    But weep to have that which it fears to lose.

Added: Feb 20 2003 | Viewed: 854 times | Comments (0)

Poet: William Shakespeare
Poem: 64. Sonnet 64: When I have seen by Time's fell hand defaced
Volume: The Sonnets
Year: Published/Written in 1609
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