Sonnet 12/XII "When I do count the clock"

When I do count the clock that tells the time,
And see the brave day sunk in hideous night;
When I behold the violet past prime,
And sable curls or silver'd o'er with white;
When lofty trees I see barren of leaves,
Which erst from heat did canopy the herd
And Summer's green all girded up in sheaves
Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard;
Then of thy beauty do I question make
That thou among the wastes of time must go,
Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake,
And die as fast as they see others grow,
And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defense
Save breed to brave him when he takes thee hence.


Quatrain 1

1 When I / do count / the clock / that tells / the time,
2 And see / the brave / day // sunk / in hi/deous night;
3 When I / behold / the vi/olet / past prime,
4 And sa/ble curls / or sil/ver'd o'er / with white;

Quatrain 2

5 When lof/ty trees / I see // barren / of leaves,
6 Which erst / from heat / did ca/nopy / the herd
7 And Sum/mer's green / all gir/ded up / in sheaves
8 Borne on / the bier / with white / and bris/tly beard;

Quatrain 3

9 Then of / thy beau/ty do / I ques/tion make
10That thou / among / the wastes / of time / must go,
11 Since sweets / and beau/ties do / themselves / forsake,
12 And die / as fast / as they / see o/thers grow,

Couplet

13 And no/thing 'gainst / Time's scythe / can make / defense
14 Save breed / to brave / him // when / he takes / thee hence.