A sonnet from Lysander to Hermia in the A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Act I. Scene 1.
The place: The palace of Theseus, Athens.
Lysander. How now, my love! why is your cheek so pale? pale
How chance the roses there do fade so fast?
Hermia. Belike for want of rain, which I could well
Beteem them from the tempest of my eyes.
Lysander. Ay me! for aught that I could ever read,
Could ever hear by tale or history,
The course of true love never did run smooth;
But, either it was different in blood,
Hermia. O cross! too high to be enthrall'd to low.
Lysander. Or else misgraffed in respect of years,
Hermia. O spite! too old to be engaged to young.
Lysander. Or else it stood upon the choice of friends,
Hermia. O hell! to choose love by another's eyes.
(Taken directly from Act 1, Scene 1, of A Midsummer Night's Dream).
The Love between Lysander and Hermia is sincere but difficult to understand, and finally, she decides to run away.