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A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning

Author: John Donne

This Page Includes: Full Verses of the Poem in Text. A Recording of the Poem (Audio). A Free PDF Download for reading purposes. Free Editable Google Doc Download if you wish to make changes or to personalise the poem. The page also includes what the poem is about, structure of poem and explaining the best parts.

A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning Poem Verses

As virtuous men pass mildly away,
And whisper to their souls to go,
Whilst some of their sad friends do say
The breath goes now, and some say, No:

So let us melt, and make no noise,
No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move;
'Twere profanation of our joys
To tell the laity our love.

Moving of th' earth brings harms and fears,
Men reckon what it did, and meant;
But trepidation of the spheres,
Though greater far, is innocent.

Dull sublunary lovers' love
(Whose soul is sense) cannot admit
Absence, because it doth remove
Those things which elemented it.

But we by a love so much refined,
That our selves know not what it is,
Inter-assured of the mind,
Care less, eyes, lips, and hands to miss.

Our two souls therefore, which are one,
Though I must go, endure not yet
A breach, but an expansion,
Like gold to airy thinness beat.

If they be two, they are two so
As stiff twin compasses are two;
Thy soul, the fixed foot, makes no show
To move, but doth, if the other do.

And though it in the center sit,
Yet when the other far doth roam,
It leans and hearkens after it,
And grows erect, as that comes home.

Such wilt thou be to me, who must,
Like th' other foot, obliquely run;
Thy firmness makes my circle just,
And makes me end where I begun.

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Personalised Poem

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About the poem

The poem "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning" is a metaphysical poem that reflects on the nature of love and separation. The poem uses the imagery of virtuous men passing away and whispers to their souls to go to convey the idea that true love endures even in the face of separation. The poem suggests that the love shared by the speaker and their beloved is so refined that it can endure separation without causing pain or suffering. The speaker uses the metaphor of a compass to describe the connection between the two souls, suggesting that they are united in a way that allows them to remain connected even when physically apart.

The poem can be used for a funeral as it celebrates the enduring nature of love and the idea that true love endures beyond death. It can be personalized by reflecting on the love shared between the deceased and their loved ones and the connection that remains even in death. The poem can serve as a tribute to the power of love to endure separation and the impact that the deceased had on the lives of those they loved.

Alternatively, the poem can be enjoyed as a philosophical reflection on the nature of love and the human experience of separation. It celebrates the enduring nature of true love and suggests that the connections we share with others are stronger than physical distance. The poem can inspire the reader to reflect on the connections they share with loved ones and the ways in which these connections endure beyond separation.

The Structure of Poem

A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning: This poem consists of nine stanzas, each with four lines. The rhyme scheme is ABAB, and the meter is predominantly iambic tetrameter, with four iambs per line.

Best Quote from A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning Poem

This is a quote from the poem A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning by John Donne

"Our two souls therefore, which are one, Though I must go, endure not yet A breach, but an expansion, Like gold to airy thinness beat."

This quote expresses the idea of a deep and profound love that transcends physical separation and endures beyond the passing of time. It suggests that the love between two individuals is not something that can be broken or divided, but rather expands and grows stronger over time. The use of the metaphor of gold being beaten to airy thinness conveys the idea of the love becoming more refined and precious as it is tested by distance and time. The quote emphasizes the enduring nature of love and the power of a deep and meaningful connection between two individuals.