Quotes from John Donne

I am two fools, I know, for loving, and for saying so in whining poetry.

All our life is but a going out to the place of execution, to death.

Reason is our soul's left hand, Faith her right.

Chastity is not chastity in an old man, but a disability to be unchaste.

And new Philosophy calls all in doubt, the element of fire is quite put out; the Sun is lost, and the earth, and no mans wit can well direct him where to look for it.

I have done one brave thing - Than all the Worthies did; And yet a braver thence doth spring - Which is to keep that hid

Contemplative and bookish men must of necessity be more quarrelsome than others, because they contend not about matter of fact, nor can determine their controversies by any certain witnesses, nor judges. But as long as they go towards peace, that is Truth, it is no matter which way.

Affliction is a treasure, and scarce any man hath enough of it.

As states subsist in part by keeping their weaknesses from being known, so is it the quiet of families to have their chancery and their parliament within doors, and to compose and determine all emergent differences there.

As soon as there was two there was pride

The Phoenix riddle hath more witBy us, we two being one, are it.So to one neutral thing both sexes fit,We die and rise the same, and proveMysterious by this love.

For God sake hold your tongue, and let me love.

As well a well-wrought urn becomesThe greatest ashes, as half-acre tombs.

Our eye-beams twisted, and did threadOur eyes, upon one double string;So to entergraft our hands, as yetWas all the means to make us one,And pictures in our eyes to getWas all our propagation.

Whilst my physicians by their love are grownCosmographers, and I their map, who lieFlat on this bed.

Yesternight the sun went hence,And yet is here today.

If poisonous minerals, and if that tree,Whose fruit threw death on else immortal us,If lecherous goats, if serpents enviousCannot be damn'd; alas; why should I be?

Full nakedness! All joys are due to thee,As souls unbodied, bodies unclothed must be,To taste whole joys.

Dull sublunary lovers' love(Whose soul is sense) cannot admitAbsence, because it doth removeThose things which elemented it.

Full nakedness! All joyes are due to thee, As souls unbodied, bodies uncloth'd must be, To taste whole joyes.

So, so, break off this last lamenting kiss,Which sucks two souls, and vapors both away.

'Tis true, 'tis day; what though it be?O wilt thou therefore rise from me?Why should we rise, because 'tis light?Did we lie down, because 'twas night?Love which in spite of darkness brought us hitherShould in despite of light keep us together.

The flea, though he kill none, he does all the harm he can.

Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls it tolls for thee.