William Shakespeare. 1564–1616

Sonnet XXXIII.

“Full many a glorious morning have I seen”


FULL many a glorious morning have I seen  
Flatter the mountain-tops with sovereign eye,  
Kissing with golden face the meadows green,  
Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy;  
Anon permit the basest clouds to ride    5
With ugly rack on his celestial face,  
And from the forlorn world his visage hide,  
Stealing unseen to west with this disgrace:  
Even so my sun one early morn did shine,  
With all-triumphant splendour on my brow;   10
But, out! alack! he was but one hour mine,  
The region cloud hath mask’d him from me now.  
  Yet him for this my love no whit disdaineth;  
  Suns of the world may stain when heaven’s sun staineth.