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The Poems of John Donne, Volume 1 (of 2): Edited from the Old Editions and Numerous ManuscriptsDonne, John

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The Poems of John Donne, Volume 1 (of 2): Edited from the Old Editions and Numerous Manuscripts

Name: The Poems of John Donne, Volume 1 (of 2): Edited from the Old Editions and Numerous Manuscripts
Author: Donne, John

Donne, John

English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700

I'll tell thee now (deare Love) what thou shalt doe
    To anger destiny, as she doth us,
    How I shall stay, though she Esloygne me thus
  And how posterity shall know it too;
      How thine may out-endure                                       5
      Sybills glory, and obscure
      Her who from Pindar could allure,
    And her, through whose helpe _Lucan_ is not lame,
  And her, whose booke (they say) _Homer_ did finde, and name.

  Study our manuscripts, those Myriades                             10
    Of letters, which have past twixt thee and mee,
    Thence write our Annals, and in them will bee
  To all whom loves subliming fire invades,
      Rule and example found;
      There, the faith of any ground                                15
      No schismatique will dare to wound,
    That sees, how Love this grace to us affords,
  To make, to keep, to use, to be these his Records.

  This Booke, as long-liv'd as the elements,
    Or as the worlds forme, this all-graved tome                    20
    In cypher writ, or new made Idiome,
  Wee for loves clergie only'are instruments:
      When this booke is made thus,
      Should againe the ravenous
      Vandals and Goths inundate us,                                25
    Learning were safe; in this our Universe
  Schooles might learne Sciences, Spheares Musick, Angels Verse.

  Here Loves Divines, (since all Divinity
    Is love or wonder) may finde all they seeke,
    Whether abstract spirituall love they like,                     30
  Their Soules exhal'd with what they do not see,
      Or, loth so to amuze
      Faiths infirmitie, they chuse
      Something which they may see and use;
    For, though minde be the heaven, where love doth sit,           35
  Beauty a convenient type may be to figure it.

  Here more then in their bookes may Lawyers finde,
    Both by what titles Mistresses are ours,
    And how prerogative these states devours,
  Transferr'd from Love himselfe, to womankinde,                    40
      Who though from heart, and eyes,
      They exact great subsidies,
      Forsake him who on them relies,
    And for the cause, honour, or conscience give,
  Chimeraes, vaine as they, or their prerogative.                   45

  Here Statesmen, (or of them, they which can reade,)
    May of their occupation finde the grounds:
    Love and their art alike it deadly wounds,
  If to consider what 'tis, one proceed,
      In both they doe excell                                       50
      Who the present governe well,
      Whose weaknesse none doth, or dares tell;
    In this thy booke, such will their nothing see,
  As in the Bible some can finde out Alchimy.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The Poems of John Donne, Volume 1 (of 2): Edited from the Old Editions and Numerous Manuscripts

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