The Sonnets

The sonnets with notes and explanations and links to the corresponding podcast episodes are being added to this website as the episodes materialise.

Although this Index is now complete, the podcast itself and therefore the website are still a work in progress.

If you spot any mistake or if any of the links below doesn't work or points to the wrong place, please do let me know through the contact form here.

​Thanks!

INDEX BY NUMBER

INDEX BY FIRST LINE

1 From Fairest Creatures We Desire Increase
2 When Forty Winters Shall Besiege Thy Brow
3 Look in Thy Glass and Tell the Face Thou Viewest
4 Unthrifty Loveliness, Why Dost Thou Spend
5 Those Hours That With Gentle Work Did Frame
6 Then Let Not Winter's Ragged Hand Deface
7 Lo! In the Orient, When the Gracious Light
8 Music to Hear, Why Hearst Thou Music Sadly?
9 Is it for Fear to Wet a Widow's Eye
10 For Shame Deny That Thou Bearst Love to Any
11 As Fast as Though Shalt Wane, so Fast Thou Growst
12 When I Do Count the Clock That Tells the Time
13 O That You Were Yourself, But Love, You Are
14 Not From the Stars Do I My Judgment Pluck
15 When I Consider Everything That Grows
16 But Wherefore Do Not You a Mightier Way
17 Who Will Believe My Verse in Time to Come
18 Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?
19 Devouring Time, Blunt Thou the Lion's Paws
20 A Woman's Face, With Nature's Own Hand Painted
21 So Is it Not With Me as With That Muse
22 My Glass Shall Not Persuade Me I Am Old
23 As an Unperfect Actor on the Stage
24 Mine Eye Hath Played the Painter and Hath Stelled
​25 Let Those Who Are in Favour With Their Stars
26 Lord of My Love, to Whom in Vassalage
27 Weary With Toil, I Haste Me to My Bed
28 How Can I Then Return in Happy Plight
29 When in Disgrace With Fortune and Men's Eyes
​30 When to the Sessions of Sweet Silent Thought
31 Thy Bosom Is Endeared with All Hearts
32 If Thou Survive My Well-Contented Day
33 Full Many a Glorious Morning Have I Seen
34 Why Didst Thou Promise Such a Beauteous Day
35 No More Be Grieved at That Which Thou Hast Done
36 Let Me Confess That We Two Must Be Twain
​37 As a Decrepit Father Takes Delight
​38 How Can My Muse Want Subject to Invent
​39 O How Thy Worth With Manners May I Sing
40 Take All My Loves, My Love, Yea Take Them All
41 Those Pretty Wrongs That Liberty Commits
42 That Thou Hast Her, it Is Not All My Grief
43 When Most I Wink Then Do Mine Eyes Best See
44 If the Dull Substance of My Flesh Were Thought
​45 The Other Two, Slight Air and Purging Fire
46 Mine Eye and Heart Are at a Mortal War
47 Betwixt Mine Eye and Heart a League Is Took
48 How Careful Was I When I Took My Way
49 Against That Time, if Ever That Time Come
50 How Heavy Do I Journey on the Way
51 Thus Can My Love Excuse the Dull Offence
52 So Am I as the Rich, Whose Blessed Key
53 What Is Your Substance, Whereof Are You Made
54 O How Much More Does Beauty Beauteous Seem
55 Not Marble, Nor the Gilded Monuments
56 Sweet Love, Renew Thyself, Be it Not Said
57 Being Your Slave, What Should I Do But Tend
58 That God Forbid That Made Me First Your Slave
59 If There Be Nothing New, But That Which Is
60 Like as the Waves Make Towards the Pebbled Shore
61 Is it Thy Will Thy Image Should Keep Open
62 Sin of Self-Love Possesseth All Mine Eye
63 Against My Love Shall Be as I Am Now
64 When I Have Seen by Time's Fell Hand Defaced
​65 Since Brass, Nor Stone, Nor Earth, Nor Boundless Sea
66 Tired With All These, for Restful Death I Cry
67 Ah, Wherefore With Infection Should He Live
68 Thus Is His Cheek the Map of Days Outworn
69 Those Parts of Thee That the World's Eye Doth View
​70 That Thou Be Blamed Shall Not Be Thy Defect
​71 No Longer Mourn for Me When I Am Dead
72 O Lest the World Should Task You to Recite
73 That Time of Year Thou Mayst in Me Behold
74 But Be Contented When That Fell Arrest
75 So Are You to My Thoughts as Food to Life
76 Why Is My Verse so Barren of New Pride
77 Thy Glass Will Show Thee How Thy Beauties Wear
78 So Oft Have I Invoked Thee for My Muse
79 Whilst I Alone Did Call Upon Thy Aid
80 O How I Faint When I of You Do Write
81 Or I Shall Live Your Epitaph to Make
82 I Grant Thou Wert Not Married to My Muse
83 I Never Saw That You Did Painting Need
84 Who Is it That Says Most, Which Can Say More
85 My Tongue-Tied Muse in Manners Holds Her Still
86 Was it the Proud Full Sail of His Great Verse
87 Farewell, Thou Art too Dear for My Possessing
88 When Thou Shalt Be Disposed to Set Me Light
89 Say That Thou Didst Forsake Me for Some Fault
90 Then Hate Me When Thou Wilt, if Ever, Now
91 Some Glory in Their Birth, Some in Their Skill
92 But Do Thy Worst to Steal Thyself Away
93 So Shall I Live, Supposing Thou Art True
94 They That Have Power to Hurt and Will Do None
95 How Sweet and Lovely Dost Thou Make the Shame
​96 Some Say Thy Fault Is Youth, Some Wantonness
97 How Like a Winter Hath My Absence Been
98 From You Have I Been Absent in the Spring
99 The Forward Violet Thus Did I Chide
100 Where Art Thou Muse, That Thou Forgetst so Long
​101 O Truant Muse, What Shall Be Thy Amends
102 My Love Is Strengthened Though More Weak in Seeming
103 Alack, What Poverty My Muse Brings Forth
104 To Me, Fair Friend, You Never Can Be Old
105 Let Not My Love Be Called Idolatry
106 When in the Chronicle of Wasted Time
107 Not Mine Own Fears Nor the Prophetic Soul
108 What's in the Brain That Ink May Character 
109 O Never Say That I Was False of Heart
110 Alas, 'Tis True, I Have Gone Here and There
111 O For My Sake Do You With Fortune Chide
112 Your Love and Pity Doth th'Impression Fill
113 Since I Left You, Mine Eye Is in My Mind
114 Or Whether Doth My Mind, Being Crowned With You
​115 Those Lines That I Before Have Writ Do Lie
116 Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds
117 Accuse Me Thus, That I Have Scanted All
118 Like as to Make Our Appetites More Keen
119 What Potions Have I Drunk of Siren Tears
120 That You Were Once Unkind Befriends Me Now
121 Tis Better to Be Vile Than Vile Esteemed
122 Thy Gift, Thy Tables, Are Within My Brain
123 No! Time, Thou Shalt Not Boast That I Do Change
124 If My Dear Love Were But the Child of State
125 Were't Ought to Me I Bore the Canopy
126 O Thou, My Lovely Boy, Who in Thy Power
127 In the Old Age Black Was Not Counted Fair
128 How Oft When Thou, My Music, Music Playst
129 Th'Expense of Spirit in a Waste of Shame
130 My Mistress' Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun
131 Thou Art as Tyrannous, so as Thou Art
132 Thine Eyes I Love, and They, as Pitying Me
133 Beshrew That Heart That Makes My Heart to Groan
134 So Now I Have Confessed That He Is Thine
135 Whoever Hath Her Wish, Thou Hast Thy Will
136 If Thy Soul Check Thee That I Come so Near
137 Thou Blind Fool Love, What Dost Thou to Mine Eyes
138 When My Love Swears That She Is Made of Truth
139 O Call Not Me to Justify the Wrong
140 Be Wise as Thou Art Cruel, Do Not Press
141 In Faith, I Do Not Love Thee With Mine Eyes
​142 Love Is My Sin, and Thy Dear Virtue Hate
143 Lo! As a Careful Housewife Runs to Catch
144 Two Loves I Have, of Comfort and Despair
145 Those Lips That Love's Own Hand Did Make
146 Poor Soul, the Centre of My Sinful Earth
147 My Love Is as a Fever, Longing Still
148 O Me! What Eyes Hath Love Put in My Head
149 Canst Thou, O Cruel, Say I Love Thee Not
150 O From What Power Hast Thou This Powerful Might
151 Love Is too Young to Know What Conscience Is
152 In Loving Thee Thou Knowst I Am Forsworn
153 Cupid Laid by His Brand and Fell Asleep
154 The Little Love-God, Lying Once Asleep

A Woman's Face, With Nature's Own Hand Painted 20
Accuse Me Thus, That I Have Scanted All 117
Against My Love Shall Be as I am Now 63
Against That Time, if Ever That Time Come 49
Ah, Wherefore With Infection Should He Live 67
Alack, What Poverty My Muse Brings Forth 103
Alas, 'Tis True, I Have Gone Here and There 110
As a Decrepit Father Takes Delight 37
As an Unperfect Actor on the Stage 23
As Fast as Thou Shalt Wane, so Fast Thou Growst 11
Be Wise as Thou Art Cruel, Do Not Press 140
Being Your Slave, What Should I Do But Tend 57
Beshrew That Heart That Makes My Heart to Groan 133
Betwixt Mine Eye and Heart a League Is Took 47
But Be Contented When That Fell Arrest 74
But Do Thy Worst to Steal Thyself Away 92
But Wherefore Do Not You a Mightier Way 16
Canst Thou, O Cruel, Say I Love Thee Not 149
Cupid Laid by His Brand and Fell Asleep 153
Devouring Time, Blunt Thou the Lion's Paws 19
Farewell, Thou Art too Dear for My Possessing 87
For Shame Deny That Thou Bearst Love to Any 10
From Fairest Creatures We Desire Increase 1
From You Have I Been Absent in the Spring 98
Full Many a Glorious Morning Have I Seen 33
How Can I Then Return in Happy Plight 28
How Can My Muse Want Subject to Invent 38
How Careful Was I When I Took My Way 48
How Heavy Do I Journey on the Way 50
How Like a Winter Hath My Absence Been 97
How Oft When Thou, My Music, Music Playst 128
How Sweet and Lovely Dost Thou Make the Shame 95
I Grant Thou Wert Not Married to My Muse 82
I Never Saw That You Did Painting Need 83
If My Dear Love Were But the Child of State 124
If the Dull Substance of My Flesh Were Thought 44
If There Be Nothing New, But That Which Is 59
If Thou Survive My Well-Contented Day 32
If Thy Soul Check Thee That I Come so Near 136
In Faith, I Do Not Love Thee With Mine Eyes 141
In Loving Thee, Thou Knowst I Am Forsworn 152
In the Old Age Black Was Not Counted Fair 127
Is it for Fear to Wet a Widow's Eye 9
Is it Thy Will Thy Image Should Keep Open 61
Let Me Confess That We Two Must Be Twain 36
Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds 116
Let Not My Love Be Called Idolatry 105
Let Those Who Are in Favour With Their Stars 25
Like as the Waves Make Towards the Pebbled Shore 60
Like as To Make Our Appetites More Keen 118
Lo! As a Careful Housewife Runs to Catch 143
Lo! In the Orient, When the Gracious Light 7
Look in Thy Glass and Tell the Face Thou Viewest 3
Lord of My Love, to Whom in Vassalage 26
Love Is My Sin, and Thy Dear Virtue Hate 142
Love Is too Young to Know What Conscience Is 151
Mine Eye Hath Played the Painter and Hath Stelled 24
Mine Eye and Heart Are at a Mortal War 46
Music to Hear, Why Hearst Thou Music Sadly? 8
My Glass Shall Not Persuade Me I Am Old 22
My Love Is as a Fever, Longing Still 147
My Love Is Strengthened Though More Weak in Seeming 102
My Mistress' Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun 130
My Tongue-Tied Muse in Manners Holds Her Still 85
No Longer Mourn for Me When I Am Dead 71
No More Be Grieved at That Which Thou Hast Done 35
No! Time, Thou Shalt Not Boast That I Do Change 123
Not From the Stars Do I My Judgment Pluck 14
Not Marble, Nor the Gilded Monuments of Princes 55
Not Mine Own Fears Nor the Prophetic Soul 107
O Call Not Me to Justify the Wrong 139
O For My Sake Do You With Fortune Chide 111
O From What Power Hast Thou This Powerful Might 150
O How I Faint When I of You Do Write 80
O How Much More Does Beauty Beauteous Seem 54
O How Thy Worth With Manners May I Sing 39
O Lest the World Should Task You to Recite 72
O Me! What Eyes Hath Love Put in My Head 148
O Never Say That I Was False of Heart 109
O That You Were Yourself, But Love, You Are 13
O Thou, My Lovely Boy, Who in Thy Power 126
O Truant Muse, What Shall Be Thy Amends 101
Or I Shall Live Your Epitaph to Make 81
Or Whether Doth My Mind, Being Crowned With You 114
Poor Soul, the Centre of My Sinful Earth 146
Say That Thou Didst Forsake Me for Some Fault 89
Sin of Self-Love Possesseth All Mine Eye 62
Since Brass, Nor Stone, Nor Earth, Nor Boundless Sea 65
Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day? 18
Since I Left You, Mine Eye Is in My Mind 113
So Am I as the Rich, Whose Blessed Key 52
So Are You to My Thoughts as Food to Life 75
So Is it Not With Me as With That Muse 21
So Now I Have Confessed That He Is Thine 134
So Oft Have I Invoked Thee for My Muse 78
So Shall I Live, Supposing Thou Art True 93
Some Glory in Their Birth, Some in Their Skill 91
Some Say Thy Fault is Youth, Some Wantonness 96
Sweet Love, Renew Thyself, Be it Not Said 56
Take All My Loves, My Love, Yea Take Them All 40
That God Forbid That Made Me First Your Slave 58
That Thou Be Blamed Shall Not Be Thy Defect 70
​That Thou Hast Her, it Is Not All My Grief 42
That Time of Year Thou Mayst in Me Behold 73
That You Were Once Unkind Befriends Me Now 120
Th'Expense of Spirit in a Waste of Shame 129
The Forward Violet Thus Did I Chide 99
The Little Love-God, Lying Once Asleep 154
The Other Two, Slight Air and Purging Fire 45
Then Hate Me When Thou Wilt, if Ever, Now 90
Then Let Not Winter's Ragged Hand Deface 6
They That Have Power to Hurt and Will Do None 94
Thine Eyes I Love, and They, as Pitying Me 132
Those Hours That With Gentle Work Did Frame 5
Those Lines That I Before Have Writ Do Lie 115
Those Lips That Love's Own Hand Did Make
Those Parts of Thee That the World's Eye Doth View 69
Those Pretty Wrongs That Liberty Commits 41
Thou Art as Tyrannous, so as Thou Art 131
Thou Blind Fool Love, What Dost Thou to Mine Eyes 137
Thus Can My Love Excuse the Slow Offence 51
Thus Is His Cheek the Map of Days Outworn 68
Thy Bosom Is Endeared With All Hearts 31
Thy Gift, Thy Tables, Are Within My Brain 122​
Thy Glass Will Show Thee How Thy Beauties Wear 77
Tired With All These, for Restful Death I Cry 66
Tis Better to Be Vile Than Vile Esteemed 121
To Me, Fair Friend, You Never Can Be Old 104
Two Loves I Have, of Comfort and Despair 144
Unthrifty Loveliness, Why Dost Thou Spend 4
Was it the Proud Full Sail of His Great Verse 86
Weary With Toil, I Haste Me to My Bed 27
Were't Ought to Me I Bore the Canopy 125​
What Is Your Substance, Whereof Are You Made 53
What Potions Have I Drunk of Siren Tears 119
What's in the Brain that Ink May Character 108
When Forty Winters Shall Besiege Thy Brow 2
When I Consider Everything That Grows 15
When I Do Count the Clock That Tells the Time 12
When I Have Seen by Time's Fell Hand Defaced 64
When in Disgrace With Fortune and Men's Eye 29
When in the Chronicle of Wasted Time 106
When Most I Wink Then Do Mine Eyes Best See 43
When My Love Swears That She Is Made of Truth 138
When to the Sessions of Sweet Silent Thought 30
When Thou Shalt Be Disposed to Set Me Light 88
Where Art Thou, Muse, That Thou Forgetst so Long 100
Whilst I Alone Did Call Upon Thy Aid 79
Who Is it That Says Most, Which Can Say More 84
Who Will Believe My Verse in Time To Come 17
Whoever Hath Her Wish, Thou Hast Thy Will 135
Why Didst Thou Promise Such a Beauteous Day 34
Why Is My Verse so Barren of New Pride 76
Your Love and Pity Doth th'Impression Fill 112