Sonnet 119: What potions have I drunk of Siren tears

William Shakespeare 1564 (Stratford-upon-Avon) – 1616 (Stratford-upon-Avon)



What potions have I drunk of Siren tears,
Distilled from limbecks foul as hell within,
Applying fears to hopes, and hopes to fears,
Still losing when I saw my self to win!
What wretched errors hath my heart committed,
Whilst it hath thought it self so blessèd never!
How have mine eyes out of their spheres been fitted
In the distraction of this madding fever!
O, benefit of ill, now I find true
That better is, by evil still made better;
And ruined love, when it is built anew,
Grows fairer than at first, more strong, far greater.
    So I return rebuked to my content,
    And gain by ills thrice more than I have spent.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 19, 2023

35 sec read
198

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABCBDEDEFEFEGG
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 619
Words 117
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". more…

All William Shakespeare poems | William Shakespeare Books

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    "Sonnet 119: What potions have I drunk of Siren tears" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/41417/sonnet-119:-what-potions-have-i-drunk-of-siren-tears>.

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