Song ('Sweetest love I do not go')

Context

• Song ("Sweetest love I do not go") was written by John Donne during a period when themes of love and separation were central to his work, likely reflecting personal experiences of departure from his wife, Anne More.
• The poem is part of Donne's exploration of the metaphysical nature of love, where he often intertwines personal emotions with philosophical and spiritual reflections.
• The poem addresses the anxiety of parting, a common theme in Donne's work, emphasizing the enduring nature of true love despite physical separation.

Structure and Form

Form, Meter, and Rhyme

• The poem is composed of five stanzas, each containing eight lines.
• The rhyme scheme follows ABABCDCD in each stanza, creating a musical and rhythmic flow that mirrors the song-like quality of the poem.
• The meter varies, primarily iambic, but with frequent use of anapestic feet, adding a lyrical and fluid movement to the poem, appropriate for its themes of love and departure.

Speaker and Setting

• The speaker is a lover, likely reflecting Donne's voice, addressing his beloved with reassurances as he prepares to leave.
• The setting is intimate and personal, focusing on the emotional space between the lovers rather than a physical location. The speaker seeks to comfort his beloved by downplaying the significance of their temporary separation.

Poetic Devices

Metaphor:

• Donne uses metaphors to compare his departure to natural processes, such as the sun setting and rising, to emphasize the inevitability and cyclicality of his return.
• The speaker reassures, "But as the earth's inward narrow crooked lanes / Do purge sea water's fretful salt away," suggesting that just as the earth cleanses the sea, time will cleanse their pain of separation.

Hyperbole:

• The speaker uses hyperbole to express his deep love and the triviality of his departure, suggesting that his absence will not harm his beloved.
• He claims, "When thou sigh'st, thou sigh'st not wind, / But sigh'st my soul away," exaggerating the impact of his beloved's sorrow on him.

Paradox:

• The poem contains paradoxical statements that highlight the contradictions in love, such as the idea that parting can strengthen love.
• The speaker reflects, "Yet love still hath no second; why should we not clasp, / Since thine and mine are thus combined?" emphasizing the enduring unity of their love despite physical separation.

Personification:

• Time and fate are personified as forces that can be manipulated by love, suggesting that their separation is insignificant in the face of their enduring bond.
• The speaker asserts, "Let not thy divining heart / Forethink me any ill," encouraging his beloved to reject fears and trust in their love.

Key Themes

The Inevitability of Separation

• The poem acknowledges the inevitability of physical separation but reassures that true love can withstand it and remain strong.
• The speaker states, "So let us melt, and make no noise," encouraging a quiet and peaceful acceptance of their temporary parting.

The Endurance of True Love

• Donne emphasizes that true love is not diminished by physical absence but is instead eternal and unchanging.
• The speaker asserts, "No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move; / 'Twere profanation of our joys," indicating that excessive displays of sorrow would diminish the sacred nature of their love.

The Power of Love Over Time and Fate

• The poem explores the idea that love transcends the limitations of time and fate, making their influence over the lovers' lives insignificant.
  • The speaker argues, "But think that we / Are but turn'd aside to sleep; / They who one another keep / Alive, ne'er parted be," illustrating love's power to overcome the constraints of time and destiny.

Similar Poems

• "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning": This poem also addresses the theme of separation, with the speaker reassuring his lover that their spiritual connection will remain strong despite physical distance.
• "The Sun Rising": Like Song ("Sweetest love I do not go"), this poem explores the power of love over external forces, mocking the sun's attempt to disrupt the lovers' time together.
• "A Valediction of Weeping": This poem also deals with the pain of parting, focusing on the emotional toll of separation while emphasizing the enduring nature of true love.

Line by Line Analysis

Stanza 1

Lines 1-4

Sweetest love, I do not go,

For weariness of thee,

Nor in hope the world can show

A fitter love for me;

"Sweetest love, I do not go,"

• The speaker begins by addressing his beloved, reassuring her that his departure is not due to a lack of affection.
• The use of "Sweetest love" conveys deep affection and tenderness.

"For weariness of thee,"

• The speaker clarifies that he is not leaving because he is tired of her; this line refutes any notion that their love has grown stale.
• The phrase suggests that the speaker values their relationship and does not wish to part from her due to dissatisfaction.

"Nor in hope the world can show / A fitter love for me;"

• The speaker further reassures his beloved by stating that he is not leaving in search of a more suitable love.
• This line emphasizes the uniqueness and irreplaceability of the love they share, affirming the speaker's commitment.

Lines 5-8

But since that I

Must die at last, 'tis best

To use myself in jest

Thus by feign'd deaths to die.

"But since that I / Must die at last, 'tis best"

• The speaker introduces the idea of mortality, acknowledging that death is inevitable.
• He suggests that because death is certain, it is wise to prepare for it in some way.

"To use myself in jest / Thus by feign'd deaths to die."

• The speaker refers to his departure as a "feign'd death", a playful practice or rehearsal for the real thing.
• This metaphor highlights the speaker's philosophical approach, treating each parting as a small, temporary death to ease the pain of the eventual, permanent separation.

Stanza 2

Lines 9-12

Yesternight the sun went hence,

And yet is here today;

He hath no desire nor sense,

Nor half so short a way:

"Yesternight the sun went hence, / And yet is here today;"

• The speaker draws a parallel between his departure and the setting and rising of the sun, suggesting that just as the sun returns, so will he.
• This comparison offers comfort, implying that his absence will be temporary, like the night.

"He hath no desire nor sense,"

• The speaker notes that the sun does not possess human emotions or desires; it follows a natural course without longing or fear.
• This line contrasts the sun's impassive journey with the speaker's emotional departure, highlighting the difference between nature and human experience.

"Nor half so short a way:"

• The speaker implies that his journey will be quicker and more direct than the sun's daily cycle.
• This line reassures his beloved that he will return swiftly, underscoring the briefness of his absence.

Lines 13-16

Then fear not me,

But believe that I shall make

Speedier journeys, since I take

More wings and spurs than he.

"Then fear not me,"

• The speaker urges his beloved not to worry about his departure, asking her to trust in his return.
• This line seeks to alleviate any anxiety she might have about his absence.

"But believe that I shall make / Speedier journeys, since I take / More wings and spurs than he."

• The speaker asserts that his journey will be faster because he is motivated by love, which provides him with metaphorical "wings and spurs".
• The imagery of "wings and spurs" suggests both speed and determination, emphasizing his eagerness to return.

Stanza 3

Lines 17-20

O how feeble is man's power,

That if good fortune fall,

Cannot add another hour,

Nor a lost hour recall!

"O how feeble is man's power,"

• The speaker laments the weakness and limitations of human power, acknowledging that even in the face of good fortune, humans are still powerless against time.
• This line introduces a theme of human vulnerability and the inevitability of time's passage.

"That if good fortune fall, / Cannot add another hour, / Nor a lost hour recall!"

• The speaker reflects on the fleeting nature of time, noting that even when fortune is favourable, humans cannot extend time or recover lost moments.
• This reinforces the idea that time is beyond human control, underscoring the importance of cherishing the present.

Lines 21-24

But come bad chance,

And we join to'it our strength,

And we teach it art and length,

Itself o'er us to'advance.

"But come bad chance,"

• The speaker contrasts the previous idea of good fortune with "bad chance", or misfortune, which prompts a different human response.
• This line sets up the idea that humans often struggle against adversity, trying to exert control where they can.

"And we join to'it our strength, / And we teach it art and length,"

• The speaker suggests that when faced with misfortune, humans tend to focus on and prolong it, using their strength to intensify their suffering.
• "Art and length" imply that people often dwell on their troubles, inadvertently making them worse.

"Itself o'er us to'advance."

• The speaker concludes by acknowledging that despite human efforts, misfortune often gains the upper hand, overpowering them.
• This line underscores the futility of trying to control or resist the forces of time and fate, which ultimately govern human existence.

Stanza 4

Lines 25-28

When thou sigh'st, thou sigh'st not wind,

But sigh'st my soul away;

When thou weep'st, unkindly kind,

My life's blood doth decay.

"When thou sigh'st, thou sigh'st not wind, / But sigh'st my soul away;"

• The speaker addresses his beloved, explaining that her sighs are not just empty breaths of air, but rather, they have the power to take away his soul.
• This metaphor suggests a deep emotional connection where her sorrow directly affects his very essence.

"When thou weep'st, unkindly kind, / My life's blood doth decay."

• The speaker continues, describing her tears as "unkindly kind", a paradox that captures the dual nature of her emotions—her sadness is born out of love, yet it causes him harm.
• Her weeping is so powerful that it drains his life force, symbolized by the phrase "my life's blood doth decay," indicating that her grief is literally and figuratively weakening him.

Lines 29-32

It cannot be

That thou lov'st me, as thou say'st,

If in thine my life thou waste,

That art the best of me.

"It cannot be / That thou lov'st me, as thou say'st,"

• The speaker expresses doubt, questioning how his beloved can claim to love him while her sorrow seems to be destroying him.
• This line reflects the speaker's inner conflict, as he grapples with the paradox of love that both nurtures and harms.

"If in thine my life thou waste, / That art the best of me."

• The speaker argues that if her love is true, it should not waste his life, as she is the best part of him.
• This line emphasizes the idea that their lives are deeply intertwined, and her actions have a profound impact on his well-being.

Stanza 5

Lines 33-36

Let not thy divining heart

Forethink me any ill;

Destiny may take thy part,

And may thy fears fulfil;

"Let not thy divining heart / Forethink me any ill;"

• The speaker urges his beloved not to anticipate misfortune or ill fate, as her "divining heart"—her intuition or fear—may inadvertently bring about the very things she dreads.
• This line suggests that worrying about the future can have a negative impact, and the speaker encourages her to remain positive.

"Destiny may take thy part, / And may thy fears fulfil;"

• The speaker warns that if she continues to dwell on her fears, destiny might align with her thoughts and make them a reality.
• This line reflects the belief that one's thoughts and fears can influence their fate, cautioning against giving in to anxiety.

Lines 37-40

But think that we

Are but turn'd aside to sleep;

They who one another keep

Alive, ne'er parted be.

"But think that we / Are but turn'd aside to sleep;"

• The speaker reassures his beloved by likening their separation to merely "turn'd aside to sleep", a temporary state akin to rest rather than a permanent departure.
• This metaphor suggests that their parting is not to be feared, as it is only a brief pause before they are reunited.

"They who one another keep / Alive, ne'er parted be."

• The speaker concludes with the comforting thought that as long as they keep each other alive in their hearts, they will never truly be separated.
• This line underscores the enduring nature of their love, suggesting that their connection transcends physical distance and time.