Sonnet 47: What, Have I thus Betray'd

Sir Philip Sidney 1554 (Penshurst, Kent) – 1586 (Zutphen)



What, have I thus betray'd my liberty?
Can those black beams such burning marks engrave In my free side? or am I born a slave,
Whose neck becomes such yoke of tyranny?

Or want I sense to feel my misery?
Or sprite, disdain of such disdain to have,
Who for long faith, though daily help I crave,
May get no alms but scorn of beggery?

Virtue awake, beauty but beauty is;
I may, I must, I can, I will, I do
Leave following that, which it is gain to miss.

Let her go! Soft, but here she comes. Go to,
Unkind, I love you not. Oh me, that eye
Doth make my heart give to my tongue the lie.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

36 sec read
137

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABA AXBX XCX CDD
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 589
Words 121
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 3, 4, 3, 3

Sir Philip Sidney

Sir Philip Sidney was an English poet, courtier, scholar and soldier who is remembered as one of the most prominent figures of the Elizabethan age. more…

All Sir Philip Sidney poems | Sir Philip Sidney Books

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1 Comment
  • heathert.34240
    Have we not learnt our words on the footsteps of heroes only to crack each paved stone into three. And yet like the stars colliding we return to the first steps of shakespearian times where I learnt how to love as did thee. 
    LikeReply5 months ago

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"Sonnet 47: What, Have I thus Betray'd" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/35288/sonnet-47:-what,-have-i-thus-betray'd>.

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Quiz

Are you a poetry master?

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Lewis Carroll wrote: "You are old father William, the young man said..."
A "and your hair has become very white"
B "and you seem to have lost your sight"
C "and your eyes have become less bright"
D "and you're going to die tonight"