Sonnet 39: O, how thy worth with manners may I sing

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



O, how thy worth with manners may I sing,
When thou art all the better part of me?
What can mine own praise to mine own self bring?
And what is't but mine own when I praise thee?
Even for this let us divided live,
And our dear love lose name of single one,
That by this separation I may give
That due to thee which thou deserv'st alone.
O, absence what a torment wouldst thou prove,
Were it not thy sour leisure gave sweet leave
To entertain the time with thoughts of love,
Which time and thoughts so sweetly doth deceive,
    And that thou teachest how to make one twain
    By praising him here who doth hence remain!

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

36 sec read
132

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABABCDEFGHIHJJ
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 614
Words 121
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 39: O, how thy worth with manners may I sing" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 18 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/41486/sonnet-39:-o,-how-thy-worth-with-manners-may-i-sing>.

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