The Poetry Corner

The Sonnets XL - Take all my loves, my love, yea take them all

By William Shakespeare

Take all my loves, my love, yea take them all; What hast thou then more than thou hadst before? No love, my love, that thou mayst true love call; All mine was thine, before thou hadst this more. Then, if for my love, thou my love receivest, I cannot blame thee, for my love thou usest; But yet be blamd, if thou thy self deceivest By wilful taste of what thyself refusest. I do forgive thy robbery, gentle thief, Although thou steal thee all my poverty: And yet, love knows it is a greater grief To bear greater wrong, than hates known injury. Lascivious grace, in whom all ill well shows, Kill me with spites yet we must not be foes.