William Shakespeare
1564-1616
Sonnet LXXXVIII
When thou
shalt be dispos'd to set me light,
And place my merit
in the eye of scorn,
Upon thy side, against
myself I'll fight,
And prove thee virtuous,
though thou art forsworn.
With mine own weakness,
being best acquainted,
Upon thy part I can
set down a story
Of faults conceal'd,
wherein I am attainted;
That thou in losing
me shalt win much glory:
And I by this will
be a gainer too;
For bending all my
loving thoughts on thee,
The injuries that
to myself I do,
Doing thee vantage,
double-vantage me.
Such is my love, to thee I so belong,
That for thy right, myself will bear all wrong.
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