In the first two stanzas, Donne tells his wife that they should part quietly as virtuous men die (because they're not afraid of where they'll go next or their future)--no crying should cheapen their love and marriage. He tells her their love is strong and gives support throughout the rest of the poem.
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.
In stanza three, Donne offers the support of superstitions popular during the day. Earthquakes and other natural disasters cause much distress since we can see and hear them. People try to assign a meaning to them--it's an omen for this, or a harbinger to some other great event yet to happen. However, this sort of stuff goes on all the time on other planets and elsewhere in the universe. No one sees or hears or feels these events even though they may be greater and more dangerous than those here on earth, so they go without fear and trembling.
Likewise, let us part without all the attention and noise. Our love is based on emotional, mental, spiritual and physical love. It is not a small thing, and a short absence will not harm it. You are my rock--my "fixed foot" in the center of my world. I will always return to you when my adventure (circle) is completed. This is a reference to the metapor he uses of their love to a compass.
No comments:
Post a Comment