Love's Alchemy

Some that have deeper digg'd love's mine than I,
Say, where his centric happiness doth lie.
I have loved, and got, and told,
But should I love, get, tell, till I were old,
I should not find that hidden mystery.
O ! 'tis imposture all ;
And as no chemic yet th' elixir got,
But glorifies his pregnant pot,
If by the way to him befall
Some odoriferous thing, or medicinal,
So, lovers dream a rich and long delight,
But get a winter-seeming summer's night.

Our ease, our thrift, our honour, and our day,
Shall we for this vain bubble's shadow pay?
Ends love in this, that my man
Can be as happy as I can, if he can
Endure the short scorn of a bridegroom's play?
That loving wretch that swears,
'Tis not the bodies marry, but the minds,
Which he in her angelic finds,
Would swear as justly, that he hears,
In that day's rude hoarse minstrelsy, the spheres.
Hope not for mind in women ; at their best,
Sweetness and wit they are, but mummy, possess'd.

Donne compares the Platonists (as sean in the link below) who’s ultimate purpose is to discover spiritual love, and the alchemists who at his time were trying to convert poor metals into gold. With this comparison Donne is saying that spiritual love does not truly exist and is not likely to occur just as the alchemists are trying to convert poor metals into gold. With this said Donne alludes to the Platonists that by trying to discover spiritual love are just wasting their time. Donne’s language in this poem clearly allows the reader to see the comparison of the alchemists with the Platonists and allow a more materialistic interpretation of everyday love. The first two opening lines of this poem give the idea that the analogy of love between the Platonists and the alchemists has a more sexual implication, this analogy is created by the word ‘digged’ and the image brought by the words ’love’s mine’ (1). With this said Donne explains that some have experienced an even deeper meaning of love than him (1), and have managed to dig into true love (5). This means that few have reached a point beyond the normal love of the senses where they have found it’s true (Platonic) form. According to this poem this would mean that even alchemists could find gold, however due to the tone Donne actually uses his words to ridicule such attempts in both cases. Once again Donne has given an other prove of his dazzling word play.

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