Sonnet One hundred and six by William Shakespeare

literatureoutloud.com

 

Click here for a complete INDEX

 

Sonnet CVI

by William Shakespeare

 

When in the chronicle of wasted time

I see descriptions of the fairest wights,

And beauty making beautiful old rhyme

In praise of ladies dead and lovely knights,

Then, in the blazon of sweet beauty's best,

Of hand, of foot, of lip, of eye, of brow,

I see their antique pen would have express'd

Even such a beauty as you master now.

So all their praises are but prophecies

Of this our time, all you prefiguring;

And, for they look'd but with divining eyes,

They had not skill enough your worth to sing:

For we, which now behold these present days,

Had eyes to wonder, but lack tongues to praise.

 

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 106