Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ELEGY: 5. HIS PICTURE, by JOHN DONNE



Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ELEGY: 5. HIS PICTURE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Here take my picture; though I bid farewell
Last Line: To feed on that, which to disused tasts seemes tough.
Variant Title(s): Love Elegies: Elegy 7. His Picture


Here take my Picture; though I bid farewell,
Thine, in my heart, where my soule dwels, shall dwell.
'Tis like me now, but I dead, 'twill be more
When wee are shadowes both, then 'twas before.
When weather-beaten I come backe; my hand,
Perhaps with rude oares torne, or Sun beams tann'd,
My face and brest of hairecloth, and my head
With cares rash sodaine stormes, being o'rspread,
My body'a sack of bones, broken within,
And powders blew staines scatter'd on my skinne;
If rivall fooles taxe thee to'have lov'd a man,
So foule, and course, as, Oh, I may seeme than,
This shall say what I was: and thou shalt say,
Doe his hurts reach mee? doth my worth decay?
Or doe they reach his judging minde, that hee
Should now love lesse, what hee did love to see?
That which in him was faire and delicate,
Was but the milke, which in loves childish state
Did nurse it: who now is growne strong enough
To feed on that, which to disused tasts seemes tough.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...



Home: PoetryExplorer.net