A Song ('Ask me no more where Jove bestows') by Thomas Carew

Context

• A Song ('Ask me no more where Jove bestows') by Thomas Carew was written during the early 17th century, a time when Cavalier poets celebrated love, beauty, and the pleasures of life with a light, lyrical style.
• Carew was a prominent Cavalier poet, known for his polished and elegant verse, which often explored themes of love, courtship, and the ephemeral nature of beauty.
• The poem reflects the influence of classical mythology, which was a common source of inspiration for poets of the period, as well as the Renaissance fascination with the fleeting nature of life and beauty.

Structure and Form

Form, Meter, and Rhyme

• The poem is composed of five quatrains, with each stanza containing four lines.
• It follows a consistent ABAB rhyme scheme, which contributes to its lyrical and musical quality.
• The meter is an iambic tetrameter, with each line consisting of four iambic feet, creating a rhythmic and flowing pace that enhances the poem's graceful tone.

Speaker and Setting

• The speaker appears to be addressing a lover or an admirer, advising them not to question or seek the reasons behind beauty and love, but rather to appreciate them as they are.
• The setting is not explicitly detailed, as the poem focuses more on abstract ideas and the timeless nature of beauty rather than a specific physical location.

Poetic Devices

Allusion:

• The poem makes allusions to classical mythology, such as Jove (Jupiter), the Roman king of the gods, to emphasize the timeless and mysterious nature of beauty.
• "Ask me no more where Jove bestows, / When June is past, the fading rose;" suggests that the secrets of beauty and love are beyond human understanding.

Metaphor:

• Carew uses metaphors to compare beauty to natural elements that are fleeting, such as the rose that fades after June.
• This metaphor underscores the theme of the transience of beauty and the importance of appreciating it in the moment.

Repetition:

• The phrase "Ask me no more" is repeated at the beginning of each stanza, creating a refrain that reinforces the speaker's message of accepting the mysteries of beauty without questioning.

Imagery:

• The poem is rich in visual imagery, using references to roses, pearls, and the stars to evoke a sense of beauty and the natural world.
• These images contribute to the poem's overall theme of the ephemeral nature of beauty.

Key Themes

Transience of Beauty

• The poem explores the theme of the transience of beauty, suggesting that beauty is fleeting and should be appreciated in the moment rather than questioned.

"Ask me no more where Jove bestows, / When June is past, the fading rose;" highlights the idea that beauty, like the rose, is temporary and should be cherished while it lasts.

Acceptance of Mystery

• The speaker encourages an acceptance of the mystery surrounding beauty and love, advising against trying to understand or rationalize these phenomena.
• This theme reflects the Renaissance belief in the limits of human understanding and the idea that some aspects of life are beyond explanation.

Carpe Diem

• The poem aligns with the carpe diem (seize the day) philosophy of the Cavalier poets, urging the reader to embrace beauty and love without hesitation, as they are fleeting.
  • The repeated refrain "Ask me no more" emphasizes the importance of living in the moment.

Similar Poems

• "The Good Morrow" by John Donne: Like Carew's poem, this explores the theme of love and the unity between lovers, using elaborate imagery to convey a sense of completeness and fulfilment.
• "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell: Marvell's poem similarly addresses the fleeting nature of beauty and the importance of seizing the moment in love, aligning with the carpe diem theme found in Carew's work.
• "The Sun Rising" by John Donne: This poem also reflects on love and beauty, blending personal emotion with broader metaphysical themes, much like Carew's approach.

Line by Line Analysis

Stanza 1

Ask me no more where Jove bestows, When June is past, the fading rose; For in your beauty's orient deep These flowers, as in their causes, sleep.

"Ask me no more where Jove bestows, / When June is past, the fading rose;"

• The speaker instructs the listener not to ask where the god Jove (Jupiter) places the rose after it fades in June, suggesting that its beauty is transient.
• The "fading rose" symbolises beauty that diminishes with time, particularly in the transition from summer to autumn.

"For in your beauty's orient deep / These flowers, as in their causes, sleep."

• The speaker answers that the rose, and by extension all fading beauty, resides within the "orient deep" of the lady's beauty.
• "Orient" refers to something radiant or precious, suggesting that the essence of the rose (its cause) is preserved in her, where it remains alive and vibrant.

Stanza 2

Ask me no more whither do stray The golden atoms of the day; For in pure love heaven did prepare Those powders to enrich your hair.

"Ask me no more whither do stray / The golden atoms of the day;"

• The speaker continues with the rhetorical device, asking not to question where the "golden atoms of the day" (sunlight) go as the day ends.
• The "golden atoms" represent the rays of the sun, which seem to vanish with the passing of daylight.

"For in pure love heaven did prepare / Those powders to enrich your hair."

• He explains that heaven, in its pure love, has gathered these golden particles to enhance the lady's hair, metaphorically suggesting that the brilliance of sunlight is captured within her.
• This line emphasizes the divine quality of her beauty, which is enriched by these heavenly "powders".

Stanza 3

Ask me no more whither doth haste The nightingale, when May is past; For in your sweet dividing throat She winters, and keeps warm her note.

"Ask me no more whither doth haste / The nightingale, when May is past;"

• The speaker instructs not to ask where the nightingale goes after May when its song is no longer heard.
• The nightingale is traditionally associated with spring and love, and its departure signifies the end of the season.

"For in your sweet dividing throat / She winters, and keeps warm her note."

• The speaker reveals that the nightingale remains within the lady's "sweet dividing throat", where it "winters" and preserves its song.
• This suggests that the beauty and melody of the nightingale are embodied in her voice, keeping the song alive even in winter.

Stanza 4

Ask me no more where those stars 'light, That downwards fall in dead of night; For in your eyes they sit, and there Fixed become, as in their sphere.

"Ask me no more where those stars 'light, / That downwards fall in dead of night;"

• The speaker instructs not to ask where the stars fall when they disappear in the night sky, symbolising the mystery of their disappearance.
• The imagery of falling stars evokes a sense of fleeting brilliance, akin to a brief, beautiful moment that vanishes.

"For in your eyes they sit, and there / Fixed become, as in their sphere."

• The speaker suggests that the stars settle in the lady's eyes, where they remain fixed as if in their natural celestial sphere.
• This line highlights the brightness and allure of her eyes, which capture and hold the stars' light, symbolising their eternal brilliance.

Stanza 5

Ask me no more if east or west The phoenix builds her spicy nest; For unto you at last she flies, And in your fragrant bosom dies.

"Ask me no more if east or west / The phoenix builds her spicy nest;"

• The speaker advises against questioning where the mythical phoenix builds its nest, whether in the east or west, as it prepares for its cycle of death and rebirth.
• The "spicy nest" refers to the aromatic and precious materials the phoenix uses to construct its pyre.

"For unto you at last she flies, / And in your fragrant bosom dies."

• The speaker concludes that the phoenix ultimately flies to the lady and dies in her "fragrant bosom", symbolising a place of rebirth.
• This imagery elevates the lady's beauty and essence to a mythical level, suggesting that she embodies the qualities of the phoenix—immortality, renewal, and purity.