Sonnet 137
Thou blind fool, Love, what dost thou to mine eyes,
self-deception
perception
lust
corruption
Thou blind fool, Love, what dost thou to mine eyes,
That they behold, and see not what they see?
They know what beauty is, see where it lies,
Yet what the best is take the worst to be.
If eyes corrupt by over-partial looks
Be anchor'd in the bay where all men ride,
Why of eyes' falsehood hast thou forged hooks,
Whereto the judgment of my heart is tied?
Why should my heart think that a several plot
Which my heart knows the wide world's common place?
Or mine eyes seeing this, say this is not,
To put fair truth upon so foul a face?
In things right true my heart and eyes have erred,
And to this false plague are they now transferr'd.
What It Means
Shakespeare blames Love (personified as blind Cupid) for what has happened to his perception. His eyes have anchored to his mistress even though they know she is 'the bay where all men ride' and 'the wide world's common place' — she is widely shared, available to everyone. His heart knows it too. Yet both eyes and heart have been deceived. He has corrupted his own perception by choosing to believe the lie.
Context
Part of the Dark Lady sequence. Sonnet 137 is notably harsh in its language about the Dark Lady's sexual availability.
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