Sonnet 139
O Call not me to justifie the wrong,
That thy unkindnesse layes upon my heart,
Wound me not with thine eye but with thy toung,
Use power with power, and slay me not by Art.
Tell me thou lov'st else-where; but in my sight,
Deare heart forbeare to glance thine eye aside,
What needst thou wound with cunning when thy might
Is more than my ore-prest defence can bide?
Let me excuse thee, ah my love well knowes,
Her prettie lookes have beene mine enemies,
And therefore from my face she turnes my foes,
That they else-where might dart their injuries:
Yet do not so, but since I am neere slaine,
Kill me out-right with lookes, and rid my paine.
Commentary
Addressed to his young mistress
In the first quatrain, the poet says that he does not want to be asked to explain to his mistress how she is unkind, and he does not want to be wrapped in knots by Art, but rather she should express herself to him forcefully.
In the second quatrain, he asks her to tell him straight that she loves somebody else, not glance away at others while she is with him. She has no need to 'wound with cunning'.
In the third quatrain the poet observes that he can find a reason to excuse her in that, knowing that her good looks have been his downfall, she turns away her face to injure elsewhere.
In the final couplet, he changes his mind, telling her to slay him outright and put him out of his pain.