John Donne
John Donne
John Donnewas an English poet and a cleric in the Church of England. He is considered the pre-eminent representative of the metaphysical poets. His works are noted for their strong, sensual style and include sonnets, love poems, religious poems, Latin translations, epigrams, elegies, songs, satires and sermons. His poetry is noted for its vibrancy of language and inventiveness of metaphor, especially compared to that of his contemporaries. Donne's style is characterised by abrupt openings and various paradoxes, ironies and dislocations...
two space done
Between these two, the denying of sins, which we have done, and the bragging of sins, which we have not done, what a space, what a compass is there, for millions of millions of sins!
sickness wells knows
Can there be worse sickness, than to know that we are never well, nor can be so?
distance progress littles
The distance from nothing to a little, is ten thousand times more, than from it to the highest degree in this life.
love inward declaration
Without outward declarations, who can conclude an inward love?
love night light
Love is a growing, or full constant light; And his first minute, after noon, is night.
life-and-death going-out execution
All our life is but a going out to the place of execution, to death.
names virtue knows
Who knows his virtues name or place, hath none.
integrity angel men
Men are sponges, which, to pour out, receive; Who know false play, rather than lose, deceive. For in best understandings sin began, Angels sinn'd first, then devils, and then man. Only perchance beasts sin not ; wretched we Are beasts in all but white integrity.
today sun
Yesternight the sun went hence, And yet is here today.
children yesterday sorrow
Old grandsires talk of yesterday with sorrow, And for our children we reserve tomorrow.
lust disease thee
Lust-bred diseases rot thee.
love running yesterday
Only our love hath no decay; this, no tomorrow hath, nor yesterday, running it never runs from us away, but truly keeps his first, last, everlasting day.
doe fleas morality
The flea, though he kill none, he does all the harm he can.
heavenly dies
I shall not live 'till I see God; and when I have seen Him, I shall never die.