Sonnet 37: As A Decrepit Father Takes Delight

William Shakespeare

As a decrepit father takes delight
To see his active child do deeds of youth,
So I, made lame by Fortune's dearest spite,
Take all my comfort of thy worth and truth.
For whether beauty, birth, or wealth, or wit,
Or any of these all, or all, or more,
Entitled in thy parts, do crownd sit,
I make my love engrafted to this store.
So then I am not lame, poor, nor despised,
Whilst that this shadow doth such substance give
That I in thy abundance am sufficed
And by a part of all thy glory live.
Look what is best, that best I wish in thee.
This wish I have; then ten times happy me!

Next 10 Poems

• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 38: How Can My Muse Want Subject To Invent
• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 39: O, How Thy Worth With Manners May I Sing
• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 4: Unthrifty Loveliness, Why Dost Thou Spend
• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 40: Take All My Loves, My Love, Yea, Take Them All
• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 41: Those Pretty Wrongs That Liberty Commits
• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 42: That Thou Hast Her, It Is Not All My Grief
• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 43: When Most I Wink, Then Do Mine Eyes Best See
• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 44: If The Dull Substance Of My Flesh Were Thought
• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 45: The Other Two, Slight Air And Purging Fire
• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 46: Mine Eye And Heart Are At A Mortal War

Previous 10 Poems

• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 36: Let Me Confess That We Two Must Be Twain
• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 35: No More Be Grieved At That Which Thou Hast Done
• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 34: Why Didst Thou Promise Such A Beauteous Day
• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 33: Full Many A Glorious Morning Have I Seen
• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 32: If Thou Survive My Well-contented Day
• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 31: Thy Bosom Is Endeard With All Hearts
• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 30: When To The Sessions Of Sweet Silent Thought
• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 3: Look In Thy Glass, And Tell The Face Thou Viewest
• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 29: When In Disgrace With Fortune And Men's Eyes
• William Shakespeare : Sonnet 28: How Can I Then Return In Happy Plight