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Sonnet 43: When Most I Wink, Then Do Mine Eyes Best See, By: William Shakespeare

October 12, 2026 by Editors

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When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see,
For all the day they view things unrespected;
But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee,
And darkly bright, are bright in dark directed.
Then thou, whose shadow shadows doth make bright,
How would thy shadow’s form form happy show
To the clear day with thy much clearer light,
When to unseeing eyes thy shade shines so!
How would, I say, mine eyes be blessed made
By looking on thee in the living day,
When in dead night thy fair imperfect shade
Through heavy sleep on sightless eyes doth stay!
All days are nights to see till I see thee,
And nights bright days when dreams do show thee me.

Read all of William Shakespeare's poems · About William Shakespeare

More by William Shakespeare

  • Sonnet 64: When I Have Seen By Time's Fell Hand Defac'd
  • Sonnet 87: Farewell! Thou Art Too Dear For My Possessing
  • Sonnet 97: How Like A Winter Hath My Absence Been
  • Sonnet 98: From You Have I Been Absent In The Spring
  • Sonnet 110: Alas! 'tis True, I Have Gone Here And There

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