Shakespeare’s Sonnet #56 “Sweet love, renew thy force. Be it not said”

Sonnet 56

Sweet love, renew thy force. Be it not said
Thy edge should blunter be than appetite,
Which but today by feeding is allayed,
Tomorrow sharpened in his former might.
So, love, be thou. Although today thou fill
Thy hungry eyes even till they wink with fullness,
Tomorrow see again, and do not kill
The spirit of love with a perpetual dullness.
Let this sad interim like the ocean be
Which parts the shore, where two contracted new
Come daily to the banks, that when they see
Return of love, more blessed may be the view.
Else call it winter, which being full of care
Makes summer’s welcome thrice more wished, more rare.

Reading of Sonnet 56

The images in the YouTube video are from an original 1609 edition of Shake-speares Sonnets held by the British Library.  It is one of only thirteen copies in existence.  Images courtesy of the Octavo Corporation.  

Text from Original 1609 Quarto

Transcription below courtesy of University of Virginia Library:

Sweet loue renew thy force, be it not said
Thy edge should blunter be then apetite,
Which but too daie by feeding is alaied,
To morrow sharpned in his former might.
So loue be thou, although too daie thou fill
Thy hungrie eies, euen till they winck with fulnesse,
Too morrow see againe, and doe not kill
The spirit of Loue, with a perpetual dulnesse:
Let this sad Intrim like the Ocean be
Which parts the shore, where two contracted new,
Come daily to the banckes, that when they see:
Returne of loue, more blest may be the view.
As¹ cal it Winter, which being ful of care,
*Makes So[m]mers welcome, thrice more wish’d, more rare:

 

* indicates fully justified line, compositor may have adjusted spelling to fit the line.  

Wording differences between the text and the reading are noted with a superscript:

¹ Else (“As” or “Or” also OK)