Complete English Poems

John Donne was born into a Catholic family in 1572. After a conventional education at Hart Hall, Oxford and Lincoln's Inn, he took part in the Earl of Essex's expedition to the Azores in 1597. He secretly married Anne More in December 1601 and was imprisoned by her father, Sir George, in the Fleet two months later. He was ordained priest in January 1615 and took a Doctorate of Divinity at Cambridge the same year. He was made Dean of St Paul's in London in 1621, a position he held until his death in 1631. He is famous for the sermons he preached in his later years, as well as for his poems.A.J. Smith was Professor Emeritus of the University of Southampton. His book include Literary Love (1983) and Metaphysical Wit (1992). He died in Salisbury in 1991.

• The Complete English PoemsPrefaceTable of DatesFurther ReadingA Note on the MetreSongs and SonnetsAir and AngelsThe AnniversaryThe ApparitionThe BaitThe BlossomBreak of DayThe Broken HeartThe CanonizationCommunityThe ComputationConfined LoveThe CurseThe DampThe DissolutionThe DreamThe EcstasyThe ExpirationFarewell to LoveA FeverThe FleaThe FuneralThe Good MorrowThe IndifferentA Jet Ring SentA Lecture upon the ShadowThe LegacyLovers' InfinitenessLove's AlchemyLove's DeityLove's DietLove's ExchangeLove's GrowthLove's UsuryThe MessageNegative LoveA Nocturnal upon S. Lucy's DayThe ParadoxThe PrimroseThe ProhibitionThe RelicSelf LoveSong (Go, and catch a falling star)Song (Sweetest love, I do not go)Sonnet. The TokenThe Sun RisingThe Triple FoolTwicknam GardenThe UndertakingA Valediction: Forbidding MourningA Valediction: of the BookA Valediction: of my Name in the WindowA Valediction: of WeepingThe WillWitchcraft by a PictureWoman's ConstancyElegies1. Jealousy2. The Anagram3. Change4. The Perfume5. His Picture6. Oh, let me not serve so7. Nature's lay idiot8. The Comparison9. The Autumnal10. The Dream11. The Bracelet12. His Parting from Her13. Julia14. A Tale of a Citizen and his Wife15. The Expostulation16. On his Mistress17. Variety18. Love's Progress19. To his Mistress Going to Bed20. Love's WarSappho to PhilaenisEpithalamions or Marriage SongsEpithalamion Made at Lincoln's InnAn Epithalamion, or Marriage Song on the Lady Elizabeth and Count Palatine being Married on St. Valentine's DayEclogue 1613. December 26EpithalamionEpigramsHero and LeanderPyramus and ThisbeNiobeA Burnt ShipFall of a WallA Lame BeggarCales and GuianaSir John WingfieldA Self AccuserA Licentious PersonAntiquaryDisinheritedPhryneAn Obscure WriterKlockiusRaderusMercurius Gallo-BelgicusRalphiusThe LiarManlinessSatires1. Away thou fondling motley humourist2. Sir; though (I thank God for it) I do hate3. Kind pity chokes my spleen4. Well; I may now receive, and die5. Thou shalt not laugh in this leaf, MuseUpon Mr. Thoms Coryat's CruditiesThe Progress of the Soul (Metempsychosis)Verse LettersThe StormThe CalmTo Mr. B. B.To Mr. C. B.To Mr. S. B.To Mr. E. G.To Mr. I. L. (Blessed are your north parts)To Mr. I. L. (Of that short roll of friends)To Mr. R. W. (If, as mine is, thy life a slumber be)To Mr. R. W. (Kindly I envy thy song's perfection)To Mr. R. W. (Muse not that by thy mind thy body is led)To Mr. R. W. (Zealously my Muse doth salute all thee)To Mr. Rowland WoodwardTo Mr. T. W. (All hail, sweet poet)To Mr. T. W. (At once, from hence)To Mr. T. W. (Haste thee harsh verse)To Mr. T. W. (Pregnant again with th' old twins)To Sir Henry GoodyerA Letter Written by Sir H. G. and J. D. alternis vicibusTo Sir Henry Wotton (Here's no more news)To Sir Henry Wotton (Sir, more than kisses)To Sir Henry Wotton, at his going Ambassador to VeniceH. W. in Hibernia BelligerantiTo Sir Edward Herbert, at JuliersTo Mrs. M. H.To the Countess of Bedford at New Year's TideTo the Countess of Bedford (Honour is so sublime perfection)To the Countess of Bedford (Reason is our soul's left hand)To the Countess of Bedford (Though I be dead)To the Countess of Bedford (To have written then)To the Countess of Bedford (You have refined me)To the Lady BedfordEpitaph on HimselfA Letter to the Lady Carey, and Mistress Essex Rich, from AmiensTo the Countess of Huntingdon (Man to God's image)To the Countess of Huntingdon (That unripe side of earth)To the Countess of SalisburyEpicedes and ObsequiesElegy on the L. C.Elegy on the Lady MarkhamAn Elegy upon the Death of Mistress BoulstredElegy upon the Untimely Death of the Incomparable Prince HenryObsequies to the Lord Harrington, Brother to the Lady Lucy, Countess of BedfordAn Hymn to the Saints, and to Marquis HamiltonThe AnniversariesAn Anatomy of the World: The First AnniversaryTo the Praise of the Dead, and the AnatomyAn Anatomy of the WorldA Funeral ElegyOf the Progress of the Soul: The Second AnniversaryThe Harbinger to the ProgressOf the Progress of the SoulDivine PoemsTo E. of D. with Six Holy SonnetsTo Mrs. Magdalen Herbert: of St. Mary MagdalenHoly SonnetsLa CoronaDivine Meditations1. Thou hast made me2. As due by many titles3. O might those sighs and tears4. Oh my black soul!5. I am a little world6. This is my play's last scene7. At the round earth's imagined corners8. If faithful souls be alike glorified9. If poisonous minerals10. Death be not proud11. Spit in my face ye Jews12. Whyare we by all creatures waited on?13. What if this present were the world's last night?14. Batter my heart, three-personed God15. Wilt thou love God, as he thee?16. Father, part of his double interest17. Since she whom I loved18. Show me dear Christ19. Oh, to vex meA LitanyThe CrossResurrection, imperfectUpon the Annunciation and Passion falling upon one day. 1608Good Friday, 1613. Riding WestwardTo Mr. Tilman after he had taken ordersUpon the Translation of the Psalms by Sir Philip Sidney, and the Countess of Pembroke his SisterThe Lamentations of Jeremy, for the most part according to TremelliusA Hymn to Christ, at the Author's last going into GermanyHymn to God my God, in my SicknessA Hymn to God the FatherNotesIndex of TitlesIndex of First Lines