to hear with eyes

anyone know where my url title "to hear with eyes" came from?

anyone other than ethne, that is? (i just told her)



it's from my favorite Shakespeare sonnet, sonnet 23. sure, it's not one of the glamorized ones like 116, and shockingly few people have ever read it, but it's always been my favorite.


As an unperfect actor on the stage,
Who with his fear is put beside his part,
Or some fierce thing replete with too much rage,
Whose strength's abundance weakens his own heart;
So I, for fear of trust, forget to say
The perfect ceremony of love's rite,
And in mine own love's strength seem to decay,
O'ercharged with burthen of mine own love's might.
O! let my looks be then the eloquence
And dumb presagers of my speaking breast,
Who plead for love, and look for recompense,
More than that tongue that more hath more express'd.
O! learn to read what silent love hath writ:
To hear with eyes belongs to love's fine wit.


beautiful, right? he's saying that though his fear of saying too much or losing his love makes him silent, unable to tell her, dumb with fear, he hopes she can read his looks, hear him with her eyes.



(if you're wondering where "the heart of flame therein" comes from, go here)