Poem A Day

Classic poem

Sonnet 46: Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war

by William Shakespeare

Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war,

How to divide the conquest of thy sight;

Mine eye my heart thy picture's sight would bar,

My heart mine eye the freedom of that right.

My heart doth plead that thou in him dost lie,--

A closet never pierc'd with crystal eyes--

But the defendant doth that plea deny,

And says in him thy fair appearance lies.

To side this title is impannelled

A quest of thoughts, all tenants to the heart;

And by their verdict is determined

The clear eye's moiety, and the dear heart's part:

As thus; mine eye's due is thy outward part,

And my heart's right, thy inward love of heart.

lovedeathbeautygriefwaridentity
Public domain/Source

About this poem

First line
Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war,
Poet
William Shakespeare
Themes
love, death, beauty, grief

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