Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Lawrence Durrell's poem "John Donne" is a contemplative reflection on the life and work of the famous metaphysical poet and cleric, John Donne. Durrell delves into the complex interplay between Donne's religious devotion and his exploration of love, pain, and desire in his poetry. Through rich, dark imagery and a focus on the dualities within Donne's life, Durrell captures the essence of a man who was both deeply spiritual and intensely passionate.

The poem opens with the line, "From the dark viands of the church," immediately setting a tone of somber reflection. The word "viands," meaning food, suggests that Donne's sustenance came from the church, but it is described as "dark," hinting at the difficult, perhaps tortured, nature of his spiritual nourishment. This darkness is further emphasized by the phrase "His food in tortured verse he wore," indicating that Donne's religious experiences and struggles were expressed through his poetry, which often grapples with themes of sin, redemption, and the complexities of love.

Durrell continues by noting that Donne "Impersonated with each kiss / All that he feared of love and more." This suggests that Donne's exploration of love in his poetry was not just an expression of affection but also a confrontation with his deepest fears and anxieties. Love, for Donne, was a multifaceted experience, encompassing both joy and terror, attraction and repulsion. Durrell's use of the word "impersonating" implies a certain performative aspect to Donne's writing, as if he was both living and acting out these fears through his verse.

The poem then introduces the idea that "each must earn his thorny crown / And each his poisoned kiss," evoking the imagery of Christ's suffering and betrayal. In this context, love and pain are intertwined, with each individual bearing their own burden of suffering in their pursuit of love. The "thorny crown" symbolizes the inevitable pain and sacrifice that come with deep emotional and spiritual experiences, while the "poisoned kiss" refers to the betrayal or the dark side of love that Donne often explored in his poetry.

Durrell suggests that those who "quarry pain"—those who seek out or delve into the depths of suffering—will find "By that remove or this / The sacrament the lovers took." Here, the act of mining or uncovering pain is likened to a spiritual journey, one that leads to a deeper understanding of the sacrament, a holy and sacred rite, but in the context of love and suffering. The "wine-dark verse" that "suborned his book" refers to Donne's poetry, which often used the imagery of wine—symbolic of both the blood of Christ and the pleasures of the flesh—to explore the dualities of human experience.

The poem highlights the tension between the sacred and the sensual in Donne's work, noting that "In every sensual measure heard / The chuckles of the daemon Word." This line suggests that within Donne's exploration of sensuality and physical love, there was always an awareness of a darker, more sinister force—the "daemon Word"—that complicates and deepens his poetic expressions. The word "daemon" here could refer to the idea of an inner demon or a supernatural force that influences and torments the soul, adding a layer of complexity to Donne's already intricate poetry.

In the final lines, Durrell reflects on the ultimate consequence of Donne's engagement with these profound themes: "He saw the dark blood in the cup / Which one day drank his being up." The "dark blood in the cup" is a powerful image that ties back to the idea of the sacrament and the dual nature of Donne's life—his devotion to the church and his exploration of human passion. The blood, symbolic of both Christ's sacrifice and the essence of life itself, becomes something that consumes Donne, ultimately leading to the dissolution or exhaustion of his being. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the toll that his intense inner conflicts and his relentless quest for meaning took on his life.

Durrell's "John Donne" is a tribute to the poet's complex and often contradictory nature. Through the interplay of religious and sensual imagery, Durrell captures the essence of Donne's struggle to reconcile his deep spiritual faith with his equally profound human desires. The poem reflects on the way Donne's life and work were shaped by this tension, leading to a body of poetry that is both deeply spiritual and intensely passionate, exploring the darkest corners of the human experience with unflinching honesty.

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