Sonnet 3. Taking my pen, with words to cast my woe

Michael Drayton (1563–1631)

[First printed in 1599 (No. 6), and in all later editions.]

TAKING my pen, with words to cast my woe,

Duly to count the sum of all my cares;

I find, my griefs innumerable grow:

The reck’nings rise to millions of despairs.

And thus dividing of my fatal hours:

The payments of my Love, I read and cross;

Subtracting, set my Sweets unto my Sours.

My Joys’ arrearage leads me to my loss.

And thus mine eyes a debtor to thine eye,

Which by extortion gaineth all their looks;

My heart hath paid such grievous usury,

That all their wealth lies in thy Beauty’s books,

And all is Thine which hath been due to me;

And I a bankrupt, quite undone by Thee!