Sonnet XXIV: Rich Fools There Be

Rich fools there be, whose base and filthy heart
Lies hatching still the goods wherein they flow:
And damning their own selves to Tantal’s smart,
Wealth breeding want, more blist more wretched grow.

Yet to those fools heav’n such wit doth impart
As what their hands do hold, their heads do know,
And knowing love, and loving, lay apart,
As sacred things, far from all danger’s show.

But that rich fool who by blind Fortune’s lot
The richest gem of love and life enjoys,
And can with foul abuse such beauties blot;

Let him, depriv’d of sweet but unfelt joys,
(Exil’d for aye from those high treasures, which
He knows not) grow in only folly rich.

(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Related poetry:

Sonnet XXII: With Fools and Children To Folly With fools and children, good discretion bears; Then, honest people, bear with Love and me, Nor older yet, […]...

He Wonders Whether to Praise or Blame Her I have peace to weigh your worth, now all is over, But if to praise or blame you, cannot say. […]...

Sonnet 52: So am I as the rich whose blessèd key So am I as the rich whose blessèd key Can bring him to his sweet up-lockèd treasure, The which he […]...

The Old Fools What do they think has happened, the old fools, To make them like this? Do they somehow suppose It’s more […]...

The Young Fools (Les Ingénus) High-heels were struggling with a full-length dress So that, between the wind and the terrain, At times a shining stocking […]...

Sonnet XXIV: I Hear Some Say I hear some say, “This man is not in love.” “What? Can he love? A likely thing,” they say; “Read […]...

Sonnet XXIV: O Thou! Meek Orb O thou! meek Orb! that stealing o’er the dale Cheer’st with thy modest beams the noon of night! On the […]...

Sonnet: I said I splendidly loved you; it's not true I said I splendidly loved you; it’s not true. Such long swift tides stir not a land-locked sea. On gods […]...

Rich Days Welcome to you rich Autumn days, Ere comes the cold, leaf-picking wind; When golden stocks are seen in fields, All […]...

Sonnet XXIV Mine eye hath play’d the painter and hath stell’d Thy beauty’s form in table of my heart; My body is […]...

Pleasure XXIV Then a hermit, who visited the city once a year, came forth and said, “Speak to us of Pleasure.” And […]...

Rich and Rare Were the Gems She Wore Rich and rare were the gems she wore, And a bright gold ring on her wand she bore; But oh! […]...

The Sluggard A jar of cider and my pipe, In summer, under shady tree; A book by one that made his mind […]...

Sonnet LIX: As Love and I As Love and I, late harbor’d in one inn, With proverbs thus each other entertain: “In Love there is no […]...

Sonnet 116: Let me not to the marriage of true minds Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration […]...

Sonnet CXVI: Let me not to the marriage of true minds Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration […]...

Sonnet XXI: A Witless Galant A witless gallant a young wench that woo’d (Yet his dull spirit her not one jot could move), Entreated me, […]...

Sonnet XXXV: Some, Misbelieving To Miracle Some, misbelieving and profane in love, When I do speak of miracles by thee, May say, that thou […]...

Sonnet XXVI: Though Dusty Wits Though dusty wits dare scorn astrology, And fools can think those lamps of purest light Whose numbers, ways, greatness, eternity, […]...

Sonnet I: Loving In Truth Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show, That she (dear She) might take some pleasure of […]...

Sonnet 76: Why is my verse so barren of new pride? Why is my verse so barren of new pride? So far from variation or quick change? Why with the time […]...

Prudence is a rich ugly old maid courted by incapacity (blake proverb) prudence my love Each time you invite me to tea I wonder do i have the appetite For what i […]...

Rich or Poor With thy true love I have more wealth Than Charon’s piled-up bank doth hold; Where he makes kings lay down […]...

Sonnet 38 – First time he kissed me, he but only kissed First time he kissed me, he but only kissed The fingers of this hand wherewith I write; And ever since, […]...

Sonnet XXI So is it not with me as with that Muse Stirr’d by a painted beauty to his verse, Who heaven […]...

Sonnet 21: So is it not with me as with that muse So is it not with me as with that muse, Stirred by a painted beauty to his verse, Who heaven […]...

Sonnet XV When I consider every thing that grows Holds in perfection but a little moment, That this huge stage presenteth nought […]...

Sonnet XV: When I consider everything that grows When I consider everything that grows Holds in perfection but a little moment, That this huge stage presenteth nought but […]...

Sonnet 15: When I consider every thing that grows When I consider every thing that grows Holds in perfection but a little moment. That this huge stage presenteth nought […]...

16-bit Intel 8088 chip with an Apple Macintosh You can’t run Radio Shack programs In its disc drive. Nor can a Commodore 64 Drive […]...

Sonnet CXXXVII Thou blind fool, Love, what dost thou to mine eyes, That they behold, and see not what they see? They […]...

Modern Love XXIV: The Misery Is Greater The misery is greater, as I live! To know her flesh so pure, so keen her sense, That she does […]...

The Fool “But it isn’t playing the game,” he said, And he slammed his books away; “The Latin and Greek I’ve got […]...

The Gardener XXIV: Do Not Keep to Yourself Do not keep to yourself the secret of Your heart, my friend! Say it to me, only to me, in […]...

The Aristocrat The Devil is a gentleman and askes you down to stay At his little place at What’sitsname (it isn’t far […]...

Sonnet XIII I fancied, while you stood conversing there, Superb, in every attitude a queen, Her ermine thus Boadicea bare, So moved […]...

Song of Love XXIV I am the lover’s eyes, and the spirit’s Wine, and the heart’s nourishment. I am a rose. My heart opens […]...

Sonnet V: It Is Most True It is most true, that eyes are form’d to serve The inward light; and that the heavenly part Ought to […]...

Ad Olum CALL me not rebel, though { here at every word {in what I sing If I no longer hail thee […]...

Sonnet 137: Thou blind fool, Love, what dost thou to mine eyes Thou blind fool, Love, what dost thou to mine eyes That they behold and see not what they see? They […]...