Sonnet Ninety-six by William Shakespeare

literatureoutloud.com

 

Click here for a complete INDEX

 

Sonnet XCVI

by William Shakespeare

 

Some say thy fault is youth, some wantonness;

Some say thy grace is youth and gentle sport;

Both grace and faults are loved of more and less;

Thou makest faults graces that to thee resort.

As on the finger of a throned queen

The basest jewel will be well esteem'd,

So are those errors that in thee are seen

To truths translated and for true things deem'd.

How many lambs might the stem wolf betray,

If like a lamb he could his looks translate!

How many gazers mightst thou lead away,

If thou wouldst use the strength of all thy state!

But do not so; I love thee in such sort

As, thou being mine, mine is thy good report.

 

 

LITERATURE OUT LOUD -- see and hear great literature

Audio narrations with synchronized visual text

daneallred.com

Click on the player below to hear the audio version of this sonnet.

Sonnet 96