William Shakespeare. 1564–1616

Sonnet XIV.

“Not from the stars do I my judgment pluck”


NOT from the stars do I my judgment pluck  
And yet methinks I have astronomy,  
But not to tell of good or evil luck,  
Of plagues, of dearths, or seasons’ quality;  
Nor can I fortune to brief minutes tell,    5
Pointing to each his thunder, rain, and wind,  
Or say with princes if it shall go well,  
By oft predict that I in heaven find:  
But from thine eyes my knowledge I derive,  
And, constant stars, in them I read such art   10
As ‘Truth and beauty shall together thrive,  
If from thyself to store thou wouldst convert;’  
  Or else of thee this I prognosticate:  
  ‘Thy end is truth’s and beauty’s doom and date.’