Analysis of Love's Growth

John Donne 1572 (London) – 1631 (London)



I scarce believe my love to be so pure
As I had thought it was,
Because it doth endure
Vicissitude, and season, as the grass ;
Methinks I lied all winter, when I swore
My love was infinite, if spring make it more.

But if this medicine, love, which cures all sorrow
With more, not only be no quintessence,
But mix'd of all stuffs, vexing soul, or sense,
And of the sun his active vigour borrow,
Love’s not so pure, and abstract as they use
To say, which have no mistress but their Muse ;
But as all else, being elemented too,
Love sometimes would contemplate, sometimes do.

And yet no greater, but more eminent,
Love by the spring is grown ;
As in the firmament
Stars by the sun are not enlarged, but shown,
Gentle love deeds, as blossoms on a bough,
From love's awakened root do bud out now.

If, as in water stirr'd more circles be
Produced by one, love such additions take,
Those like so many spheres but one heaven make,
For they are all concentric unto thee ;
And though each spring do add to love new heat,
As princes do in times of action get
New taxes, and remit them not in peace,
No winter shall abate this spring’s increase.


Scheme AXAXBB CXXCXXDD XEDEFF GHHGXXII
Poetic Form
Metre 1101111111 111111 011101 100010101 111110111 11110011111 111100111110 1111011010 1111110111 010111011 1111001111 1111110111 11111011 101110011 0111011100 110111 1001 1101110111 1011110101 1101011111 1101011101 0111110101 11110111101 1111010101 0111111111 1101011101 1100011101 1101011101
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,142
Words 214
Sentences 5
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 6, 8, 6, 8
Lines Amount 28
Letters per line (avg) 31
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 219
Words per stanza (avg) 54
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 28, 2023

1:05 min read
378

John Donne

John Donne was an English poet, satirist, lawyer and a cleric in the Church of England. more…

All John Donne poems | John Donne Books

49 fans

Discuss this John Donne poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Love's Growth" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/22552/love%27s-growth>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    April 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    2
    days
    1
    hour
    48
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    What is the term for the continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza.
    A Enjambment
    B A turn
    C Line break
    D Dithyramb