William Shakespeare
1564-1616
Sonnet XLVI
Mine eye and
heart are at a mortal war,
How to divide the
conquest of thy sight;
Mine eye my heart
thy picture's sight would bar,
My heart mine eye
the freedom of that right.
My heart doth plead
that thou in him dost lie,--
A closet never pierc'd
with crystal eyes--
But the defendant
doth that plea deny,
And says in him thy
fair appearance lies.
To side this title
is impannelled
A quest of thoughts,
all tenants to the heart;
And by their verdict
is determined
The clear eye's moiety,
and the dear heart's part:
As thus; mine eye's due is thy outward part,
And my heart's right, thy inward love of heart.
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