William Shakespeare
1564-1616
Sonnet LXXXVII
Farewell!
thou art too dear for my possessing,
And like enough thou
know'st thy estimate,
The charter of thy
worth gives thee releasing;
My bonds in thee are
all determinate.
For how do I hold
thee but by thy granting?
And for that riches
where is my deserving?
The cause of this
fair gift in me is wanting,
And so my patent back
again is swerving.
Thy self thou gav'st,
thy own worth then not knowing,
Or me to whom thou
gav'st it, else mistaking;
So thy great gift,
upon misprision growing,
Comes home again,
on better judgement making.
Thus have I had thee, as a dream doth flatter,
In sleep a king, but waking no such matter.
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