First linesWilliam Shakespeare

  1. A woman’s face with Nature’s own hand painted XX
  2. Accuse me thus: that I have scanted all CXVII
  3. Against my love shall be, as I am now, LXIII
  4. Against that time, if ever that time come, XLIX
  5. Ah! wherefore with infection should he live, LXVII
  6. Alack, what poverty my Muse brings forth, CIII
  7. Alas, ’tis true I have gone here and there CX
  8. As a decrepit father takes delight XXXVII
  9. As an unperfect actor on the stage XXIII
  10. As fast as thou shalt wane, so fast thou growest XI
  11. Be wise as thou art cruel; do not press CXL
  12. Being your slave, what should I do but tend LVII
  13. Beshrew that heart that makes my heart to groan CXXXIII
  14. Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took, XLVII
  15. But be contented: when that fell arrest LXXIV
  16. But do thy worst to steal thyself away, XCII
  17. But wherefore do not you a mightier way XVI
  18. Canst thou, O cruel! say I love thee not, CXLIX
  19. Cupid laid by his brand, and fell asleep: CLIII
  20. Devouring Time, blunt thou the lion’s paws, XIX
  21. Farewell! thou art too dear for my possessing, LXXXVII
  22. For shame! deny that thou bear’st love to any, X
  23. From fairest creatures we desire increase, I
  24. From you have I been absent in the spring, XCVIII
  25. Full many a glorious morning have I seen XXXIII
  26. How can I then return in happy plight, XXVIII
  27. How can my Muse want subject to invent, XXXVIII
  28. How careful was I, when I took my way, XLVIII
  29. How heavy do I journey on the way, L
  30. How like a winter hath my absence been XCVII
  31. How oft, when thou, my music, music play’st, CXXVIII
  32. How sweet and lovely dost thou make the shame XCV
  33. I grant thou wert not married to my Muse LXXXII
  34. I never saw that you did painting need LXXXIII
  35. If my dear love were but the child of state, CXXIV
  36. If the dull substance of my flesh were thought, XLIV
  37. If there be nothing new, but that which is LIX
  38. If thou survive my well-contented day, XXXII
  39. If thy soul check thee that I come so near, CXXXVI
  40. In faith, I do not love thee with mine eyes, CXLI
  41. In loving thee thou know’st I am forsworn, CLII
  42. In the old age black was not counted fair, CXXVII
  43. Is it for fear to wet a widow’s eye IX
  44. Is it thy will thy image should keep open LXI
  45. Let me confess that we two must be twain, XXXVI
  46. Let me not to the marriage of true minds CXVI
  47. Let not my love be call’d idolatry, CV
  48. Let those who are in favour with their stars XXV
  49. Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore, LX
  50. Like as, to make our appetite more keen, CXVIII
  51. Lo! as a careful housewife runs to catch CXLIII
  52. Lo! in the orient when the gracious light VII
  53. Look in thy glass, and tell the face thou viewest III
  54. Lord of my love, to whom in vassalage XXVI
  55. Love is my sin and thy dear virtue hate, CXLII
  56. Love is too young to know what conscience is; CLI
  57. Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war XLVI
  58. Mine eye hath play’d the painter and hath stell’d XXIV
  59. Music to hear, why hear’st thou music sadly? VIII
  60. My glass shall not persuade me I am old, XXII
  61. My love is as a fever, longing still CXLVII
  62. My love is strengthen’d, though more weak in seeming; CII
  63. My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun; CXXX
  64. My tongue-tied Muse in manners holds her still, LXXXV
  65. No longer mourn for me when I am dead LXXI
  66. No more be grieved at that which thou hast done: XXXV
  67. No, Time, thou shalt not boast that I do change: CXXIII
  68. Not from the stars do I my judgement pluck; XIV
  69. Not marble, nor the gilded monuments LV
  70. Not mine own fears, nor the prophetic soul CVII
  71. O me, what eyes hath Love put in my head, CXLVIII
  72. O thou, my lovely boy, who in thy power CXXVI
  73. O truant Muse, what shall be thy amends CI
  74. O, call not me to justify the wrong CXXXIX
  75. O, for my sake do you with Fortune chide, CXI
  76. O, from what power hast thou this powerful might CL
  77. O, how I faint when I of you do write, LXXX
  78. O, how much more doth beauty beauteous seem LIV
  79. O, how thy worth with manners may I sing, XXXIX
  80. O, lest the world should task you to recite LXXII
  81. O, never say that I was false of heart, CIX
  82. O, that you were yourself! but, love, you are XIII
  83. Or I shall live your epitaph to make, LXXXI
  84. Or whether doth my mind, being crown’d with you, CXIV
  85. Poor soul, the centre of my sinful earth, CXLVI
  86. Say that thou didst forsake me for some fault, LXXXIX
  87. Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? XVIII
  88. Sin of self-love possesseth all mine eye LXII
  89. Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea, LXV
  90. Since I left you, mine eye is in my mind; CXIII
  91. So am I as the rich, whose blessed key LII
  92. So are you to my thoughts as food to life, LXXV
  93. So is it not with me as with that Muse XXI
  94. So oft have I invoked thee for my Muse LXXVIII
  95. So shall I live, supposing thou art true, XCIII
  96. So, now I have confess’d that he is thine, CXXXIV
  97. Some glory in their birth, some in their skill, XCI
  98. Some say thy fault is youth, some wantonness; XCVI
  99. Sweet love, renew thy force; be it not said LVI
  100. Take all my loves, my love, yea, take them all; XL
  101. That god forbid that made me first your slave, LVIII
  102. That thou art blamed shall not be thy defect, LXX
  103. That thou hast her, it is not all my grief, XLII
  104. That time of year thou mayst in me behold LXXIII
  105. That you were once unkind befriends me now, CXX
  106. The expense of spirit in a waste of shame CXXIX
  107. The forward violet thus did I chide: XCIX
  108. The little Love-god lying once asleep CLIV
  109. The other two, slight air and purging fire, XLV
  110. Then hate me when thou wilt; if ever, now; XC
  111. Then let not winter’s ragged hand deface VI
  112. They that have power to hurt and will do none, XCIV
  113. Thine eyes I love, and they, as pitying me, CXXXII
  114. Those hours, that with gentle work did frame V
  115. Those lines that I before have writ do lie, CXV
  116. Those lips that Love’s own hand did make CXLV
  117. Those parts of thee that the world’s eye doth view LXIX
  118. Those pretty wrongs that liberty commits, XLI
  119. Thou art as tyrannous, so as thou art, CXXXI
  120. Thou blind fool, Love, what dost thou to mine eyes, CXXXVII
  121. Thus can my love excuse the slow offence LI
  122. Thus is his cheek the map of days outworn, LXVIII
  123. Thy bosom is endeared with all hearts, XXXI
  124. Thy gift, thy tables, are within my brain CXXII
  125. Thy glass will show thee how thy beauties wear, LXXVII
  126. Tired with all these, for restful death I cry, LXVI
  127. ’Tis better to be vile than vile esteem’d, CXXI
  128. To me, fair friend, you never can be old, CIV
  129. Two loves I have of comfort and despair, CXLIV
  130. Unthrifty loveliness, why dost thou spend IV
  131. Was it the proud full sail of his great verse, LXXXVI
  132. Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed, XXVII
  133. Were’t aught to me I bore the canopy, CXXV
  134. What is your substance, whereof are you made, LIII
  135. What potions have I drunk of Siren tears, CXIX
  136. What’s in the brain that ink may character CVIII
  137. When forty winters shall besiege thy brow, II
  138. When I consider everything that grows XV
  139. When I do count the clock that tells the time, XII
  140. When I have seen by Time’s fell hand defaced LXIV
  141. When in the chronicle of wasted time CVI
  142. When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see, XLIII
  143. When my love swears that she is made of truth CXXXVIII
  144. When thou shalt be disposed to set me light LXXXVIII
  145. When to the sessions of sweet silent thought XXX
  146. When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes, XXIX
  147. Where art thou, Muse, that thou forget’st so long C
  148. Whilst I alone did call upon thy aid, LXXIX
  149. Who is it that says most? which can say more LXXXIV
  150. Who will believe my verse in time to come, XVII
  151. Whoever hath her wish, thou hast thy “Will,” CXXXV
  152. Why didst thou promise such a beauteous day XXXIV
  153. Why is my verse so barren of new pride, LXXVI
  154. Your love and pity doth the impression fill CXII

All poets.