Can She Excuse My Wrongs
by Sting

Can she excuse my wrongs with Virtue's cloak? 

Shall I call her good when she proves unkind? 

Are those clear fires which vanish into smoke? 

Must I praise the leaves where no [bad word] I find? 



No, no, where shadows do for bodies stand 

Thou may'st be abus'd if thy sight be dimmed 

Cold love is like to words written on sand 

Or to bubbles which on the water swim 

Wilt thou be thus abused still 

Seeing that she will right thee never? 

If thou cans't not [bad word] her will 

Thy love will be thus [bad word] ever 



Wilt thou be thus abused still 

Seeing that she will right thee never? 

If thou cans't not [bad word] her will 

Thy love will be thus [bad word] ever 



Was I so base, that I might not aspire 

Unto those high joys which she holds from me? 

As they are high, so high is my desire 

If she this deny, what can granted be? 



If she will yield to that which Reason is 

It is Reason's will that Love should be just 

Dear, make me happy still by granting this 

Or cut off delays if that I die must 

Better a thousand times to die 

Than for to live thus still tormented 

Dear, but remember it was I 

Who for thy sake did die contented 



Better a thousand times to die 

Than for to live thus still tormented 

Dear, but remember it was I 

Who for thy sake did die contented