John Donne(1572–1631)
A Valediction Forbidding Mourning
A s v i r t u o u s m e n p a s s m i l d l y a w a y ,
A n d w h i s p e r t o t h e i r s o u l s t o g o ,
W h i l s t s o m e o f t h e i r s a d f r i e n d s d o s a y
T h e b r e a t h g o e s n o w , a n d s o m e say, n o ;
S o let u s m e l t , a n d m a k e n o n o i s e ,
N o t e a r - f l o o d s , n o r s i g h - t e m p e s t s m o v e ,
' T w e r e p r o f a n a t i o n o f o u r j o y s
T o tell t h e laity8 o u r l o v e .
Moving of th' earth brings harms and fears,
Men reckon what it did and meant;
B u t t r e p i d a t i o n o f t h e s p h e r e s , 9
T h o u g h g r e a t e r far, i s i n n o c e n t .
D u l l s u b l u n a r y 1 lovers' l o v e
( W h o s e s o u l i s s e n s e ) c a n n o t a d m i t
A b s e n c e , b e c a u s e it d o t h r e m o v e
T h o s e t h i n g s w h i c h e l e m e n t e d 0 it.composed
B u t w e by'a l o v e s o m u c h r e f i n e d
T h a t o u r s e l v e s k n o w n o t w h a t i t is,
I n t e r - a s s u r e d o f t h e m i n d ,
Care less, 2 eyes, lips, and hands to miss.
O u r t w o s o u l s t h e r e f o r e , w h i c h are o n e ,
T h o u g h I m u s t g o , e n d u r e n o t y e t
A b r e a c h , b u t a n e x p a n s i o n ,
L i k e g o l d t o airy t h i n n e s s b e a t .
If t h e y be t w o , t h e y are t w o so
A s stiff t w i n c o m p a s s e s 3 are t w o ;
T h y s o u l , t h e f i x e d f o o t , m a k e s n o s h o w
T o m o v e , b u t d o t h , i f th' o t h e r d o .
A n d t h o u g h i t i n t h e c e n t e r sit,
Yet when the other far doth roam,
I t l e a n s a n d h e a r k e n s a f t e r it,
A n d g r o w s e r e c t , a s t h a t c o m e s h o m e .
S u c h w i l t t h o u b e t o m e , w h o m u s t
L i k e th' o t h e r f o o t , o b l i q u e l y 0 r u n .diagonally, aslant
Thy firmness makes my circle 4 just,
A n d m a k e s m e e n d w h e r e I b e g u n .