John Donne (1572-1631)
Song: Sweetest love, I do not go
1Sweetest love, I do not go,
2 For weariness of thee,
3Nor in hope the world can show
4 A fitter love for me;
5 But since that I
6Must die at last, 'tis best
7To use myself in jest
8 Thus by feign'd deaths to die.
9Yesternight the sun went hence,
10 And yet is here today;
11He hath no desire nor sense,
12 Nor half so short a way:
13 Then fear not me,
14But believe that I shall make
15Speedier journeys, since I take
16 More wings and spurs than he.
17O how feeble is man's power,
18 That if good fortune fall,
19Cannot add another hour,
20 Nor a lost hour recall!
21 But come bad chance,
22And we join to'it our strength,
23And we teach it art and length,
24 Itself o'er us to'advance.
25When thou sigh'st, thou sigh'st not wind,
26 But sigh'st my soul away;
27When thou weep'st, unkindly kind,
28 My life's blood doth decay.
29 It cannot be
30That thou lov'st me, as thou say'st,
31If in thine my life thou waste,
32 That art the best of me.
33Let not thy divining heart
34 Forethink me any ill;
35Destiny may take thy part,
36 And may thy fears fulfil;
37 But think that we
38Are but turn'd aside to sleep;
39They who one another keep
40 Alive, ne'er parted be.
Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.
Original text: John Donne, Poems, by J. D. With elegies on the authors death (M. F. for J. Marriot, 1633). MICF no. 556 ROBA. Facs. edn. Menston: Scolar Press, 1969. PR 2245 A2 1633A. STC 7045.
First publication date:
1633
RPO poem editor: N. J. Endicott
RP edition: 3RP 1.175.
Recent editing: 4:2002/2/5
Composition date:
1612
Rhyme: ababcddc
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