Shakespeare Sonnet #49
Against that time, if ever that time come,
When I shall see thee frown on my defects,
When as thy love hath cast his utmost sum,
Called to that audit by advis'd respects;
Against that time when thou shalt strangely pass,
And scarcely greet me with that sun, thine eye,
When love, converted from the thing it was,
Shall reasons find of settled gravity;
Against that time do I ensconce me here,
Within the knowledge of mine own desert,
And this my hand, against my self uprear,
To guard the lawful reasons on thy part:
To leave poor me thou hast the strength of laws,
Since why to love I can allege no cause.
-Shakespeare
***
I love this one. Poems about love can always be traced so deeply. I take this poem as being about the truth inside of love. It can favor either side.
If you don't understand what the exact, more modern translation is, I have taken some time to put one together. It's not much, but here.
Anticipating that time, if that time ever comes, when I will see you frowning at my defects; when after serious consideration, your love for me has outlived itself - anticipating that time when you will walk past me as you would walk past a stranger, hardly even glancing at me with that sun-like (he means beautiful) eye; when that love has changed to something else, informed now by serious judgment - anticipating that time, I'm settling myself here, in the full knowledge of what I deserve, testifying against myself to defend the arguments in *your* favor. All the arguments for leaving me are on your side since I can offer none for your loving me.
