PUT off thy beauty now, as trees their leaves, Put out thy heavenliness, as the dawn her stars, That gentleness put by and now speak justice. Malignant enemies murmur and in this heart The old treasons stir and whisper, @3Thou hast denied!@1 That gentleness put by, that, seeing thee now, The justice and the anger of thine eyes Falling upon these treasons may consume them And quench the smile, still the fond hand and plant Strength where this weakness was. For beauty sickens When strength and honour wane. I am sick of beauty And April sweetness, when bare January Hides what I need of strength, and naked winds Tingling amid my boughs are only life. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TO AN EARLY DAFFODIL; SONNET by AMY LOWELL THE MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN AND HELL by WILLIAM BLAKE BOSTON COMMON: 1630 by OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES LOVE'S JUSTIFICATION by MICHELANGELO BUONARROTI IN MEMORIAM A.H.H.: 23 by ALFRED TENNYSON THE FIDDLER OF DOONEY by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS |