Analysis of HOLY SONNETS: Since she whom I lov'd hath paid her last debt

John Donne 1572 (London) – 1631 (London)



Since she whom I lov'd hath paid her last debt
     To nature, and to hers, and my good is dead,
     And her soul early into heaven ravished,
     Wholly in heavenly things my mind is set.
     Here the admiring her my mind did whet
     To seek thee, God; so streams do show the head;
     But though I have found thee, and thou my thirst hast fed,
     A holy thirsty dropsy melts me yet.
     But why should I beg more love, whenas thou
   Dost woo my soul, for hers off'ring all thine,
   And dost not only fear lest I allow
   My love to saints and angels, things divine,
   But in thy tender jealousy dost doubt
   Lest the world, flesh, yea devil put thee out.


Scheme ABAAABBACDCDEE
Poetic Form
Metre 1111111011 11001001111 0011001101 10010011111 1001001111 1111111101 111111011111 0101010111 111111111 1111101111 0111011101 1111010101 1011010011 1011110111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 663
Words 124
Sentences 4
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 34
Words per line (avg) 9
Letters per stanza (avg) 471
Words per stanza (avg) 122
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on May 01, 2023

37 sec read
73

John Donne

John Donne was an English poet, satirist, lawyer and a cleric in the Church of England. more…

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