Sonnet 32 - The first time that the sun rose on thine oath

1The first time that the sun rose on thine oath

2To love me, I looked forward to the moon

3To slacken all those bonds which seemed too soon

4And quickly tied to make a lasting troth.

5Quick-loving hearts, I thought, may quickly loathe;

6And, looking on myself, I seemed not one

7For such man's love!—more like an out-of-tune

8Worn viol, a good singer would be wroth

9To spoil his song with, and which, snatched in haste,

10Is laid down at the first ill-sounding note.

11I did not wrong myself so, but I placed

12A wrong on thee. For perfect strains may float

13'Neath master-hands, from instruments defaced,—

14And great souls, at one stroke, may do and doat.