Quotes from John Donne

Other men's crosses are not my crosses.

That soul that can reflect upon itself, consider itself, is more than so.

The day breaks not: it is my heart.

Reason is our soul's left hand, Faith her right, By these we reach divinity

Never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee.

I did best when I had least truth for my subjects.

A bride, before a "Good-night" could be said, Should vanish from her clothes into her bed, As souls from bodies steal, and are not spied. But now she's laid; what though she be? Yet there are more delays, for where is he? He comes and passeth through sphere after sphere; First her sheets, then her arms, then anywhere. Let not this day, then, but this night be thine; Thy day was but the eve to this, O Valentine.

Filled with her love, may I be rather grown Mad with much heart, then idiot with none.

True and false fears let us refrain, Let us love nobly, and live, and add again Years and years unto years, till we attain To write threescore: this is the second of our reign.

If ever any beauty I did see, Which I desired, and got, 'twas but a dream of thee.

Love, all alike, no season knows nor clime, Nor hours, days, months, which are the rags of time.

For God's sake hold your tongue, and let me love

Teach me to hear mermaids singing

How blest am I in this discovering thee! To enter in these bonds is to be free; Then where my hand is set, my seal shall be. Full nakedness! All joys are due to thee, As souls unbodied, bodies unclothed must be

If our two loves be one, or, thou and I Love so alike, that none do slacken, none can die.

Death, thou shalt die.

Let not thy divining heart Forethink me any ill; Destiny may take thy part, And may thy fears fulfill.

Batter my heart, three-person'd God; for, you As yet but knocke, breathe, shine, and seeke to mend; That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow mee, 'and bend Your force, to breake, blowe, burn and make me new.

That thou remember them, some claim as debt; I think it mercy, if thou wilt forget.

I fix mine eye on thine, and there Pity my picture burning in thine eye...

No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.

He that desires to print a book, should much more desire, to be a book.

Doubt wisely; in strange way To stand inquiring right, is not to stray; To sleep, or run wrong, is.

Only our love hath no decay; This no tomorrow hath, nor yesterday, Running it never runs from us away, But truly keeps his first, last, everlasting day.