Ways apt and new to sing of love I’d find,           A
Forcing from her hard heart full many a sigh,        B
And re-enkindle in her frozen mind                   A
Desires a thousand, passionate and high;             B
O’er her fair face would see each swift change pass, C
See her fond eyes at length where pity reigns,       D
As one who sorrows when too late, alas!              C
For his own error and another’s pains;               D
See the fresh roses edging that fair snow            C
Move with her breath, that ivory descried,           D
Which turns to marble him who sees it near;          E
See all, for which in this brief life below          C
Myself I weary not but rather pride                  D
That Heaven for later times has kept me here.        E

My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;        A
Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;          B
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;    A
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.   B
I have seen roses damasked, red and white,         C
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;             D
And in some perfumes is there more delight         C
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.    D
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know          E
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;         F
I grant I never saw a goddess go;                  E
My mistress when she walks treads on the ground.   F
     And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare   G
     As any she belied with false compare.         G