The Sonnets CI - O truant Muse what shall be thy amends
By William Shakespeare
O truant Muse what shall be thy amends
For thy neglect of truth in beauty dyd?
Both truth and beauty on my love depends;
So dost thou too, and therein dignified.
Make answer Muse: wilt thou not haply say,
Truth needs no colour, with his colour fixd;
Beauty no pencil, beautys truth to lay;
But best is best, if never intermixd?
Because he needs no praise, wilt thou be dumb?
Excuse not silence so, fort lies in thee
To make him much outlive a gilded tomb
And to be praisd of ages yet to be.
Then do thy office, Muse; I teach thee how
To make him seem long hence as he shows now.