My Mistress' Eyes: A Guide to Sonnet 130

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SONNET 130 - PARAPHRASE
My mistress's eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips;
If snow is white, then her breasts are a brownish gray;
If hairs are like wires, hers are black and not golden.
I have seen damask roses, red and white [streaked],
But I do not see such colors in her cheeks;
And some perfumes give more delight
Than the breath that comes from my mistress.
I love to hear her speak, but I know
That music has a more pleasing sound.
I've never seen a goddess walk;
But I know that my mistress walks only on the ground.
And yet I think my love as rare
As any woman who has been misrepresented by ridiculous comparisons.

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