Sonnet 89

Say that thou didst forsake me for some fault,

And I will comment upon that offence;

Speak of my lameness, and I straight will halt,

Against thy reasons making no defence.

Thou canst not, love, disgrace me half so ill,

To set a form upon desirèd change,

As I’ll myself disgrace, knowing thy will.

I will acquaintance strangle and look strange,

Be absent from thy walks, and in my tongue

Thy sweet belovèd name no more shall dwell,

Lest I, too much profane, should do it wrong

And haply of our old acquaintance tell.

For thee, against myself, I’ll vow debate,

For I must ne’er love him whom thou dost hate.

Say you abandon me to this world—

I’ll have some words for how and why.

I won’t fight back, as others would.

Call me impotent; down I’ll lie.

Nothing you could do or say

To give a reason for the change

Would betray more than I’ll betray,

Becoming a stranger, strange:

Absent from our walks,

Silencing your name,

Quiet about our talks,

So I’ll give you no shame.

For you I will be cruel to myself, untrue,

For how could I be kind to someone unwanted by you?