Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE DISSOLUTION by JOHN DONNE

Poet Analysis

First Line: SHE IS DEAD; AND ALL WHICH DIE
Last Line: A LATTER BULLET MAY O'RTAKE, THE POUDER BEING MORE.
Subject(s): LOVE - LOSS OF;
She is dead; And all which die
To their first Elements resolve;
And wee were mutuall Elements to us,
And made of one another.
My body then doth hers involve,
And those things whereof I consist, hereby
In me abundant grow, and burdenous,
And nourish not, but smother.
My fire of Passion, sighes of ayre,
Water of teares, and earthly sad despaire,
Which my materialls bee,
But neere worne out by loves securitie,
Shee, to my losse, both by her death repaire,
And I might live long wretched so
But that my fire doth with my fuell grow.
Now as those Active Kings
Whose foraine conquest treasure brings,
Receive more, and spend more, and soonest breake:
This (which I am amaz'd that I can speake)
This death, hath with my store
My use encreas'd.
And so my soule more earnestly releas'd,
Will outstrip hers; As bullets flowen before
A latter bullet may o'rtake, the pouder being more.




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