Sonnet 11/XI "As fast as thou shalt wane"

As fast as thou shalt wane so fast tho grow'st
In one of thine from that which thou departest,
And that fresh blood which youngly thou bestow'st
Thou may'st call thine, when thou from youth convertest.
Herein lives wisdom, beauty, and increase;
Without this, folly, age, and cold decay.
If all were minded so, the times should cease,
And threescore year would make the world away.
Let those whom nature hath not made for store--
Harsh, featureless, and rude--barrenly perish.
Look whom she best endow'd, she gave the more,
Which bounteous gift thou should'st in bounty cherish.
She carv'd thee for her seal, and meant thereby
Thou shouldst print more, not let that copy die.


Quatrain 1

1 As fast / as thou / shalt wane // so fast / thou grow'st >
2 In one / of thine // from that / which thou / departest,
3 And that / fresh blood / which young/ly thou / bestow'st
4 Thou may'st / call thine // when thou / from youth / convertest.

Quatrain 2

5 Herein / lives wis/dom, // beau/ ty, and / increase;
6 Without / this, // fol/ly, age, / and cold / decay.
7 If all / were min/ded so, / the times / should cease,
8 And three/score year / would make / the world / away.

Quatrain 3

9 Let those / whom na/ture hath / not made / for store--
10Harsh, fea/tureless, / and rude/--barren/ly perish.
11 Look, // whom / she best / endow'd, / she gave / the more,
12 Which boun/teous gift / thou should'st / in boun/ty cherish.

Couplet

13 She carv'd / thee for / her seal, / and meant / thereby >
14 Thou should'st /print more, / not let / that co/py die.