Confined Love

Confined Love

Original Text
Donne, John. The Elegies and the Songs and Sonnets of John Donne. Edited by Helen Gardner. London: Oxford University Press, 1965: 34-35.
1    Some man unworthy to be possessor
2Of old or new love, himself being false or weak,
3    Thought his pain and shame would be lesser,
4If on womankind he might his anger wreak,
5        And thence a law did grow,
6        One might but one man know;
7        But are other creatures so?
8    Are sun, moon, or stars by law forbidden
9To smile where they list, or lend away their light?
10    Are birds divorced or are they chidden
11If they leave their mate, or lie abroad a night?
12        Beasts do no jointures lose
13        Though they new lovers choose,
14        But we are made worse than those.
15    Who e'r rigg'd fair ships to lie in harbours,
16And not to seek lands, or not to deal with all?
17    Or built fair houses, set trees, and arbours,
18Only to lock up, or else to let them fall?
19        Good is not good, unless
20        A thousand it possess,
21        But doth waste with greediness.
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire, assisted by Ana Berdinskikh
RPO Edition
2009
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