Saturday, February 14, 2015

A Shakespeare Valentine to you

A Shakespeare Valentine to you.

A love sonnet from Romeo and Juliet
Act 1, Scene 5.


ROMEO [To JULIET.]
 93   If I profane with my unworthiest hand
 94   This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:
 95   My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
 96   To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.

      JULIET
 97   Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
 98   Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
 99   For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,
100   And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.

      ROMEO
101   Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?

      JULIET
102   Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.

      ROMEO
103   O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do;
104   They pray — grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.

      JULIET
105   Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.

      ROMEO
106   Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take.

And Romeo Kisses Her.

Happy Valentine's Day!