A metaphysical love poem in which the speaker reassures his beloved
at the moment of parting. He argues that he is not leaving out of
weariness or in search of a better love, but because death is
inevitable — and that their souls are so united that distance and
death can never truly part them.
The pioneer of a new kind of lyrical and satirical verse called
'Metaphysical'.
John Donne (1572–1631), the pioneer of a new kind
of lyrical and satirical verse called
'Metaphysical', was born in London into a
prosperous Roman Catholic family of traders at a time when England
was staunchly anti-Catholic.
Donne was forced to leave
Oxford University without a degree because of his
religion. He studied law, and read theology. He also participated
in two Naval expeditions and became secretary to a powerful noble
— a job he lost when he was briefly sent to prison for secretly
marrying his patron's niece.
In 1615, at the age of 42, Donne accepted
ordination in the Anglican Church and soon became one of the
greatest preachers of his time. In love-lyricism, Donne broke
completely with the Petrarchan tradition, introducing an
intellectual and colloquial tone.
His love poems use the latest discoveries of science and geography
to hammer home a point and combine passion with verbal and
intellectual 'teasing'. Donne is well known for his
Songs and Sonnets, Satires, Elegies and
Sermons. Genuine poetic feelings, harsh metres, strained
and whimsical images characterise all his poetic creations.
👤
Full NameJohn Donne
🎂
Born1572, London
🕯️
Died1631
📚
MovementMetaphysical Poetry
✍️
Famous WorksSongs and Sonnets · Satires · Elegies · Sermons
🎭
PoemSweetest Love, I Do Not Goe
Quick Overview
Summary
Concise overview of the chapter.
This poem by John Donne is a moving love poem
addressed by a lover to his beloved. The speaker is about to go away
on a journey, and his beloved is sad. He reassures her that his
going is not a final separation — it is merely a
temporary absence.
The speaker begins by saying:
"Sweetest love, I do not goe / For weariness of thee." He
is not leaving because he is tired of her — but because he must. He
compares his departure to the setting of the sun, which disappears
at night but returns the next morning.
In the second stanza, he tells her not to sigh or weep, for sighs
and tears
waste the life-force. It is foolish to anticipate
death by mourning prematurely. Instead, they should trust that love
will bring them together again.
The third stanza asks her to think of him as a
part of herself — for wherever he goes, she is with
him. "When thou sigh'st, thou sigh'st not wind, / But sigh'st my
soul away."
The poem ends with a declaration that love is stronger than fate.
Even if fate separates them, love will reunite them. The beloved
should not fear — for the lover carries her in his heart wherever he
goes.
But think that we / Are but turned aside to sleep; / They who one
another keep / Alive, ne'er parted be.
— John Donne, "Sweetest Love, I Do Not Goe"
The Text
Sweetest Love, I Do Not Goe
John Donne's metaphysical poem of parting and eternal love.
Stanza 1 Not for Weariness, Nor for a Fitter
Love
1Sweetest love, I do not goe,
2For wearinesse of thee,
3Nor in the hope the world can show
4A fitter Love for me;
5But since that I
6Must dye at last, 'tis best,
7To use my selfe in jest
8Thus by fain'd deaths to dye.
The poem opens with the speaker reassuring his beloved that he is
not leaving out of weariness or in the hope of finding a better
love. Since death is inevitable, he says, it is best to practise
dying through these "feigned deaths" of parting. The use of
dye (die) and fain'd deaths (feigned or pretended
deaths) is a characteristic metaphysical conceit — parting is a
rehearsal for the final parting of death.
Stanza 2 The Sun's Journey and the Lover's
Wings
9Yesternight the Sunne went hence,
10And yet is here to day,
11He hath no desire nor sense,
12Nor halfe so short a way:
13Then feare not mee,
14But beleeve that I shall make
15Speedier journeys, since I take
16More wings and spurres then hee.
The speaker compares himself to the sun. The sun went away last
night and has returned today — yet the sun has no desire, no sense,
and not even half as short a journey as the lover's. The lover has
"more wings and spurs" — more desire to return — and so will make
even speedier journeys back to his beloved.
Stanza 3 Man's Feeble Power
17O how feeble is mans power,
18That if good fortune fall,
19Cannot adde another houre,
20Nor a lost houre recall!
21But come bad chance,
22And wee joyne to it our strength,
23And wee teach it art and length,
24It selfe o'r us to advance.
Man's power is feeble: when good fortune comes, he cannot add
another hour to it or recall a lost hour. But when bad chance comes,
man foolishly joins his own strength to it, teaches it "art and
length," and so helps it to advance over him. In other words, men
make their own sorrows worse by dwelling on them.
Stanza 4 Sighs and Weeps
25When thou sigh'st, thou sigh'st not winde,
26But sigh'st my soule away,
27When thou weep'st, unkindly kinde,
28My lifes blood doth decay.
29It cannot bee
30That thou lov'st mee, as thou say'st,
31If in thine my life thou waste,
32Thou art the best of mee.
The beloved's sighs do not sigh wind but sigh away the speaker's
soul. Her tears decay his life-blood. She is "unkindly kind" — cruel
in her kindness. He argues that she cannot truly love him as she
says if she wastes his life in her own. She is the best part of him.
When thou sigh'st, thou sigh'st not winde,
But sigh'st my soule away.
— John Donne
Stanza 5 Never Parted
33Let not thy divining heart
34Forethinke me any ill,
35Destiny may take thy part,
36And may thy fears fulfil;
37But thinke that wee
38Are but turn'd aside to sleep;
39They who one another keepe
40Alive, ne'r parted bee.
The speaker asks his beloved not to let her "divining heart"
foretell any evil, because destiny may take her part and fulfil her
fears. Instead, she should think that they are only "turned aside to
sleep." Those who keep one another alive in their hearts are never
truly parted.
Quick Revision
Key Themes — Sweetest Love, I Do Not Goe
Six ideas that shape John Donne's metaphysical love poem.
💕 True Love Knows No Distance
The poem is a farewell address in which the speaker assures his
beloved that his going away is not a rejection. He is not leaving
out of weariness or in search of a better love. Their love
transcends physical separation.
🌞 The Sun as a Metaphysical Conceit
The speaker compares himself to the sun, which goes away at night
but returns each day. Yet the lover is superior to the sun because
he has "more wings and spurs" — more desire to return.
💀 Death as a "Feigned Death"
Parting is a "feigned death," a rehearsal for the real death that
must come to all. Since death is inevitable, it is best to
practise dying through partings, so that the final parting will be
easier.
😢 Sighs and Tears as Life-Stealers
The beloved's sighs "sigh away" the speaker's soul; her tears
decay his life-blood. She is "unkindly kind" — her sorrow, meant
as love, actually harms him. She is the "best" part of him.
💪 Man's Feeble Power
Man cannot add an hour to good fortune or recall a lost hour. Yet
when bad chance comes, man foolishly joins his strength to it and
"teaches it art and length" — making his own sorrows worse.
💫 Never Parted in Spirit
The poem ends with the famous couplet: "They who one another keepe
/ Alive, ne'r parted bee." Those who keep each other alive in
their hearts are never truly separated — not by distance, not even
by death.
Assessment
Test Your Understanding
Multiple choice · Fill in the blanks · Short answer. Everything is
drawn from the poem above.
🧠 Part A — Multiple Choice
Choose the best answer for each question. Click
Check Answers at the end to see your score.
Score: — /
0
✏️ Part B — Fill in the Blanks
Complete each sentence on the basis of the poem. Type your answer,
then click Check Answers.
Score: — /
0
📝 Part C — Short Answer Questions
Think through your answer first, then click
Show Model Answer to compare.
Textbook Exercises
Complete Exercise Bank
All questions from the Bihar Board Class 12 English Poetry textbook
— with answers and model responses.
B.1.1 Write T for True and F for False
Read the following sentences and write T for true and F for false.
Click to reveal the answer with explanation.
aThe poet wants to go away because he
is tired of his beloved.
False (F). The poet says: "Sweetest love, I do
not goe, / For wearinesse of thee." He is not leaving out of
weariness.
bThe poet has found another lady who is
more beautiful.
False (F). The poet says he does not leave "in
the hope the world can show / A fitter Love for me." He has
found no other lady.
cThe poet intends to go on a longer
journey than what the Sun undertakes.
False (F). The poet says he will make "speedier
journeys" than the sun, since he has "more wings and spurres."
His journey is not longer but speedier in returning.
dMan's power is very weak.
True (T). The poet exclaims: "O how feeble is
mans power, / That if good fortune fall, / Cannot adde another
houre, / Nor a lost houre recall!"
eThe poet loves his beloved so
intensely that he will come back very soon.
True (T). He says: "beleeve that I shall make /
Speedier journeys, since I take / More wings and spurres then
hee." His love gives him more desire to return.
B.1.2 Answer the Following Questions Briefly
1Why does the poet want to go away from
his beloved?
The poet does not want to go away from his beloved out of
weariness or in search of a better love. He goes because death
is inevitable. Since he must die at last, it is best to practise
dying through these "feigned deaths" of parting, so that the
final parting of death will be easier to bear.
2What are the things that the sun does
not have?
The sun has "no desire nor sense" — it has no feeling, no
longing, no consciousness. It also does not have "half so short
a way" as the lover's journey. The lover has more desire to
return than the sun does.
3What will make the speaker's journey
speedier?
The speaker's journey will be speedier because he has "more
wings and spurres" than the sun — that is, more desire and more
love to drive him back quickly to his beloved.
4What makes a man's power feeble?
Man's power is feeble because he cannot add another hour to good
fortune, nor recall a lost hour. He has no control over time or
fate. Worse, when bad chance comes, he joins his own strength to
it and "teaches it art and length" — making his own sorrows
worse.
5How do sighing and weeping affect the
speaker?
When the beloved sighs, she does not sigh wind but "sighs away"
the speaker's soul. When she weeps, his "lifes blood doth
decay." Her sorrow, though meant as love, actually harms him and
wastes his life.
6How does the beloved waste the
speaker's life?
The beloved wastes the speaker's life by sighing and weeping.
Her sighs sigh away his soul; her tears decay his life-blood. He
argues that she cannot truly love him as she says if she wastes
his life in her own sorrow.
7In what way will the lovers remain
united?
The lovers will remain united in spirit. The speaker says: "They
who one another keepe / Alive, ne'r parted bee." Those who keep
each other alive in their hearts are never truly separated — not
by distance, not even by death.
B.2.1 Complete the Sentences
(i)The speaker's beloved sighs away
____________.
his soul
(ii)The speaker's life-blood decays
when ____________.
his beloved weeps
(iii)The speaker asks his beloved not
to forethink him ____________.
any ill
(iv)They who keep one another alive can
never ____________.
be parted (parted be)
C.1 Long Answer Questions
Prepare detailed answers. Click to reveal model responses.
1Read the following lines carefully:
"When thou sigh'st, thou sigh'st not winde, / But sigh'st my
soule away." This is an example of hyperbole. Find out other
examples of hyperbole in the poem.
Other examples of hyperbole in the poem: (1) "When thou weep'st,
unkindly kinde, / My lifes blood doth decay" — her tears decay
his life-blood. (2) "If in thine my life thou waste, / Thou art
the best of mee" — she is the best part of him. (3) "They who
one another keepe / Alive, ne'r parted bee" — those who love are
never parted. (4) "Speedier journeys, since I take / More wings
and spurres then hee" — he will travel faster than the sun. All
these exaggerate for emotional and rhetorical effect.
2Write a note on the use of hyperbole
in the poem.
Hyperbole — deliberate exaggeration — is one of the chief
features of Donne's metaphysical style. In this poem, hyperbole
is used to express the intensity of love. The beloved's sighs do
not sigh wind but sigh away the speaker's soul; her tears decay
his life-blood; she is the "best" of him. The speaker will
travel faster than the sun. The lovers, if they keep each other
alive in their hearts, are "never parted." These exaggerations
are not meant to be taken literally — they convey the
overwhelming power of love, which makes the lovers' union
stronger than distance, time, and even death.
3"But beleeve that I shall make /
Speedier journeys, since I take / More wings and spurres then
hee." Comment on the power of love in the light of these lines.
In these lines, the speaker claims that his love will make his
return journey speedier than the sun's daily journey. The sun
has "no desire nor sense" — it moves mechanically. But the lover
has "more wings and spurs" — his desire and love give him
greater speed and motivation. The power of love is thus shown to
be superior to nature itself. Love gives wings to the lover; it
drives him back to his beloved with greater urgency than any
natural force. This is a classic metaphysical conceit —
comparing the lover's journey to the sun's, and finding the
lover superior.
4Explain: "They who one another keepe /
Alive, ne'r parted bee."
These closing lines express the central consolation of the poem.
Those who keep each other alive — that is, who hold each other
in their hearts and minds, who love each other faithfully — are
never truly parted. Physical separation, distance, and even
death cannot break the spiritual union of true lovers. Love
creates a bond stronger than space and time. This is the poem's
final answer to the fear of parting: the lovers are united in
spirit, and that union is eternal.
5Summarise the poem in about 100 words.
John Donne's "Sweetest Love, I Do Not Goe" is a farewell poem in
which the speaker reassures his beloved that he is not leaving
out of weariness or in search of a better love. Since death is
inevitable, parting is a "feigned death" that prepares them for
the final one. He compares himself to the sun, which returns
each day, and says he will return even faster because he has
"more wings and spurs" — more desire. He urges her not to
foretell evil, because those who keep each other alive in their
hearts are never truly parted.
6What arguments does the poet give at
the time of parting with his beloved?
At the time of parting, the poet gives several arguments to
comfort his beloved: (1) He is not leaving out of weariness or
in search of a better love. (2) Since death is inevitable,
parting is a "feigned death" that prepares them for the final
one. (3) Like the sun, he will return — and faster, because he
has more desire. (4) Man's power is feeble; he cannot add or
recall hours, and should not make bad fortune worse. (5) Her
sighs and tears harm him, not help him. (6) She should not
foretell evil. (7) Those who keep each other alive in their
hearts are never parted.
7How can lovers overcome 'bad chance'?
Lovers can overcome 'bad chance' by not adding their own
strength to it. The poet says that when bad chance comes, men
foolishly join their strength to it and "teach it art and
length," making it advance over them. Instead, lovers should
refuse to dwell on misfortune, should not foretell evil, and
should trust in the enduring power of their love. By keeping
each other alive in their hearts, they rise above bad fortune
and remain united in spirit.
8What images from Nature are used in
the poem?
The poem uses several images from Nature: (1) The Sun —
"Yesternight the Sunne went hence, / And yet is here to day" —
the sun's daily journey is compared to the lover's parting. (2)
Wind — "thou sigh'st not winde" — the beloved's sighs are
contrasted with wind. (3) Wings and Spurs — "More wings and
spurres then hee" — the lover has more desire than the sun. (4)
Sleep — "Are but turn'd aside to sleep" — parting is like sleep,
from which one wakes. (5) The Sun's "desire nor sense" — the sun
is lifeless, unlike the lover.
9Which images do you like the most?
(Personal answer) I like the image of the sun the most. The
speaker compares his journey to the sun's daily round: the sun
sets in the evening and rises again in the morning. The lover,
too, will go away and return. But the lover is superior because
he has "more wings and spurs" — more desire and love to drive
him back. The image beautifully captures the paradox of parting:
it is a temporary absence, like night, followed by the certain
return of day. It gives hope and comfort to the beloved.
C.2 Group Discussion
Discuss the following in groups or pairs.
True love knows no distance.
Love is the basis of a happy family life.
C.3 Composition
Write on the following.
You had to leave your mother for the first time. Write a letter
to your mother describing your feelings at the time of parting
and also promising your speedy return to her.
Write a paragraph in about 100 words on 'meeting and parting
with your loved ones'.
D.1 Dictionary Use
Ex 1Write the modern spelling of the
following words: goe, weariness, thee, mee, selfe, dye, sunne,
hath, halfe, feare, beleve, journeys, hee, adde, houre, wee,
joyne, thou, winde, soule, weep'st.
Modern spellings:
go · weariness · you · me · self · die · sun · has · half · fear
· believe · journeys · he · add · hour · we · join · you · wind
· soul · weep
Ex 2Look up a dictionary and write two
meanings of the following words — the one in which it is used in
the lesson and the other which is more common: desire, wing,
spur, fortune, aside.
desire: (lesson) a strong feeling of wanting;
(common) a wish or longing.
wing: (lesson) the organ of flight; (common) a
part of a building or political group.
spur: (lesson) a device with spikes worn on a
rider's heel to urge the horse forward; (common) anything that
urges or encourages.
fortune: (lesson) good luck or chance; (common)
wealth, a large amount of money.
aside: (lesson) on one side, away; (common) a
remark not meant to be heard by everyone.
D.2 Word-formation
Read carefully: "Yesternight the Sunne went hence..." In this
sentence the word 'yesternight' is made of 'yesterday' and
'night'. Find out other such words in the poem.
Write the antonyms of the following words and use them in your
sentences: sweetest, hope, yesternight, belief, feeble, waste.
QWrite antonyms and use them in
sentences.
sweetest → bitterest
My sentence: The bitterest truth is better than a sweet
lie.
hope → despair
My sentence: Even in despair, she did not lose her
courage.
yesternight → tonight
My sentence: We will meet tonight at the same place.
belief → disbelief
My sentence: He looked at the scene in
disbelief.
feeble → strong
My sentence: The strong horse pulled the cart with
ease.
waste → save
My sentence: We should save water for future
generations.
E. Grammar — 'Neither... Nor'
The poem uses a negative sentence structure, which can be
rewritten with 'neither... nor'. Rewrite the following lines using
the 'neither... nor' structure.
(i)He hath (has) no desire nor sense.
He has neither desire
nor sense.
(ii)(Man) cannot adde another hour, /
Nor a lost hour recall!
Man can neither add another hour
nor recall a lost hour.
Ex 2Construct five sentences describing
'what you do not do or do not like', with the help of
'neither... nor'.
1. I play neither cricket
nor hockey.
2. She likes neither tea
nor coffee.
3. He speaks neither Hindi
nor English.
4. They visited neither the museum
nor the zoo.
5. My brother eats neither meat
nor fish.
F. Activities
Ex 1Have you ever read a poem, story,
novel or seen a film on love? Describe the story in about 150
words.
(Personal answer) I once read the story of
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. It is the
story of two young lovers from feuding families in Verona. Romeo
Montague and Juliet Capulet meet at a ball and fall in love.
They marry in secret, but their families' hatred makes their
love impossible. Through a series of misunderstandings, Romeo
believes Juliet is dead and kills himself; when Juliet wakes and
finds him dead, she kills herself too. The story ends with the
two families reconciled over their children's bodies. It is a
powerful story about love, fate, and the destructive power of
hatred. It shows that true love can be stronger than family
loyalty, but also that it cannot always overcome the world's
cruelty.
Ex 2Meet your seniors who are about to
leave the college/school after taking their final examination.
Try to know how they feel at the time of leaving their
college/school.
(Suggested approach) Interview five seniors who are about to
leave school. Ask them: What will you miss most about school?
What are your happiest memories? What advice would you give to
younger students? What are your plans? Record their answers and
present them in class. Common feelings include sadness at
leaving friends and teachers, nostalgia about old classrooms and
events, excitement about the future, and anxiety about the
unknown.
Ex 3Prepare a report on 'the last day
on the campus', mentioning different activities that take place
on that day.
Report: The Last Day on the Campus
The last day on campus is always an emotional occasion. Students
gather in their classrooms for the last time, exchanging
autographs and contact numbers. There are farewell speeches by
teachers and students. Photographs are taken in every corner —
the library, the canteen, the playground, the assembly hall. A
farewell party is usually organised by junior students for the
outgoing batch, with songs, dances and skits. Many students
become emotional and shed tears as they bid goodbye to their
friends and teachers. The principal gives a farewell address,
wishing the students success in their future. After the formal
programme, groups of friends go out together one last time,
promising to stay in touch. The campus slowly empties, and the
students leave with heavy hearts but bright hopes.
