- Sep 2024
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John Donne
1572-1631 Considered the preeminent representative of metaphysical poems.
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Mark but this flea, and mark in this, How little that which thou deniest me is; It sucked me first, and now sucks thee, And in this flea our two bloods mingled be; Thou know’st that this cannot be said A sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead, Yet this enjoys before it woo, And pampered swells with one blood made of two, And this, alas, is more than we would do. – Oh stay, three lives in one flea spare, Where we almost, nay more than married are. This flea is you and I, and this Our marriage bed, and marriage temple is; Though parents grudge, and you, w’are met, And cloistered in these living walls of jet. Though use make you apt to kill me, Let not to that, self-murder added be, And sacrilege, three sins in killing three
Rhymes are AABBCCDDD
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Cruel and sudden, hast thou since Purpled thy nail, in blood of innocence? Wherein could this flea guilty be, Except in that drop which it sucked from thee? Yet thou triumph’st, and say’st that thou Find’st not thy self, nor me the weaker now; ’Tis true; then learn how false, fears be: Just so much honor, when thou yield’st to me, Will waste, as this flea’s death took life from thee.
Rhymes are AABBCCBBB
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thee
you
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yield
produce or provide (???) when she will present herself in front of him (in a sexual sense)
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thou
you
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’Tis
this is
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thy self,
yourself
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say’st that thou
you say that you
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thou triumph’st
you win, you celebrate
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thee
you
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Wherein
in which
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thy
the
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hast thou
have you
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apt
find suitable, find desirable
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jet
black
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cloistered
imprisoned but safe : sheltered but kept away from the outside world
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w’are
we have
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grudge
feeling of ill or resentment
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nay
not
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spare
a spare flea (?) another being in the same room as the two lovers
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alas
expresses grief, pit, concern
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pampered
spoiled, given great care and attention
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maidenhead
virginity
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know’st
(archaic) know
"'st" is the old english version
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Thou
you
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mingled
mixed
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thee
you (as an object)
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deniest
deny
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thou
you
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swells
enlarges
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woo
to seek the support of
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blogs.dickinson.edu blogs.dickinson.edu
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bed time
bed time not as in sleeping time but as in sex time
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busy fools
other men
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foe
opponent
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foe
ennemy
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oft-times
often
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stopped there
stopped from seeing the breasts, 'far fairer world'
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chime
sound, melody
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fairer
better
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nigh
here :
so close -
busk
here : noise of pleasure, probably moan
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Unlace
Unlacing the piece of clothing ; corset ?
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That th’
(that you wear) so that the eyes...
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Unpin
remove
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spangled
decorated with a small thin piece of glittering material, typically sewn as one of many on clothing for decoration; a sequin
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encompassing
surround and have or hold within
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Zone
zone as in area, but why the Cap letter ?
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girdle
an article of dress encircling the body usually at the waist
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Is tir’d with standing though he never fight.
Donne is waiting standing for the woman to get undressed (fight refers to the sexual act)
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End of our part
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blogs.dickinson.edu blogs.dickinson.edu
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NGL 222
Test
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