LITTLE think’st thou, poor flower,
Whom I’ve watch’d six or seven days,
And seen thy birth, and seen what every hour
Gave to thy growth, thee to this height to raise,
And now dost laugh and triumph on this bough,
Little think’st thou,
That it will freeze anon, and that I shall
To-morrow find thee fallen, or not at all.
These lines highlight the fleeting nature of life and the transience of beauty. The speaker addresses a flower, expressing how they have observed its growth and marvel at its current state. However, the speaker also recognizes that the flower’s triumph will be short-lived. They anticipate that the flower will soon wither or be lost entirely. It serves as a reminder of the impermanence of all things and the inevitability of change and loss.
Little think’st thou, poor heart,
That labourest yet to nestle thee,
And think’st by hovering here to get a part
In a forbidden or forbidding tree,
And hopest her stiffness by long siege to bow,
Little think’st thou
That thou to-morrow, ere the sun doth wake,
Must with the sun and me a journey take.
These lines describe the plight of a heart that is striving to find a place to belong. The heart believes that by persistently trying to gain access to a forbidden or unwelcoming place, it will eventually succeed. However, the speaker reveals that the heart’s journey will be cut short. Tomorrow, when the sun rises, both the heart and the speaker must embark on a journey together, leaving behind the heart’s pursuit and aspirations. It highlights the inevitability of change and the need to let go of unattainable desires.
But thou, which lovest to be
Subtle to plague thyself, wilt say,
Alas ! if you must go, what’s that to me?
Here lies my business, and here I will stay
You go to friends, whose love and means present
Various content
To your eyes, ears, and taste, and every part ;
If then your body go, what need your heart?
These lines highlight the speaker’s response to the heart’s plea. The speaker acknowledges that the heart finds pleasure in tormenting itself and questions the heart’s concern about their departure. The speaker asserts that the heart’s business and purpose lie in staying where it is, while the speaker goes to friends who provide various forms of satisfaction. The speaker questions the necessity for the heart to accompany them physically if their emotional attachment is not needed. It emphasizes the speaker’s detachment and the contrasting desires between the heart and the speaker.
Well then, stay here ; but know,
When thou hast stay’d and done thy most,
A naked thinking heart, that makes no show,
Is to a woman but a kind of ghost.
How shall she know my heart ; or having none,
Know thee for one?
Practice may make her know some other part ;
But take my word, she doth not know a heart.
These lines emphasize the speaker’s belief that a heart that remains hidden and unexpressed is like a ghost to a woman. The speaker questions how a woman can truly know their heart if it remains concealed. While the woman may come to understand other aspects of the speaker through experience, the speaker asserts that she does not truly know their heart. It highlights the importance of open and genuine emotional connection in a relationship.
Meet me in London, then,
Twenty days hence, and thou shalt see
Me fresher and more fat, by being with men,
Than if I had stay’d still with her and thee.
For God’s sake, if you can, be you so too ;
I will give you
There to another friend, whom we shall find
As glad to have my body as.
These lines describe the speaker’s invitation to meet in London in twenty days. The speaker assures that they will appear rejuvenated and healthier by being in the company of others, rather than staying with the person they are addressing and another individual. The speaker requests the recipient to also join them in London and promises to introduce them to a friend who will appreciate both their physical presence and their mind. It highlights the speaker’s desire for a change of environment and the anticipation of a positive experience in London.
John Donne Song: Go and Catch a Falling Star as a Metaphysical Poem
