Sonnet 71

By William Shakespeare

No longer mourn for me when I am dead
Then you shall hear the surly sullen bell
Give warning to the world that I am fled 
From this vile world, with vilest worms to dwell:
Nay, if you read this line, remember not 
The hand that writ it; for I love you so
That I in your sweet thoughts would be forgot
If thinking on me then should make you woe. 
O, if, I say, you look upon this verse
When I perhaps compounded am with clay,
Do not so much as my poor name rehearse.
But let your love even with my life decay,
   Lest the wise world should look into your moan
   And mock you with me after I am gone. 

      PARAPHRASE

You can mourn for me when I am dead, but no longer
Than when you hear the solemn-sounding bell
Announce to the world that I have gone
From this vile world, to live with the worms (in the grave):
If you read this line, do not remember
The hand that wrote it; for I love you so much
That I would rather you forget me completely
If thinking about me when I am gone would make you upset.
O, if you look upon this sonnet
When my body has become mixed with the dust and dirt,
Do not even mention my insignificant name.
But let your love decay in the same way that my life rots away,
So that the malicious people in world do not pry into your grief
And use your relationship with me to mock you after I am dead.