Sonnet 80: O! how I faint when I of you do write

1O! how I faint when I of you do write,

2Knowing a better spirit doth use your name,

3And in the praise thereof spends all his might,

4To make me tongue-tied speaking of your fame!

5But since your worth — wide as the ocean is, —

6The humble as the proudest sail doth bear,

7My saucy bark, inferior far to his,

8On your broad main doth wilfully appear.

9Your shallowest help will hold me up afloat,

10Whilst he upon your soundless deep doth ride;

11Or, being wrack'd, I am a worthless boat,

12He of tall building, and of goodly pride:

13 Then if he thrive and I be cast away,

14 The worst was this, — my love was my decay.