Coins

Coins symbolize value. There is extended discussion of the metaphor of coins in the first stanza. The beloved's face "coins" tears for the speaker (3). This cause-and-effect relationship creates the "worth" of his sorrow (4).

Fruit

Fruit symbolizes fertility. The speaker refers to his tears as "fruits of much grief" (7), emphasizing the concept of sorrow as a form of creation. However, the metaphor of fruit also suggests fertility in the sense of pregnancy, which is a theme throughout the poem (and Anne was nine months pregnant when Donne departed for his European tour). The speaker's tears, he notes are "pregnant of thee" (6), meaning that they are full of the beloved's reflection.

A Globe

The globe symbolizes symbolism itself. A globe is a symbolic representation of the entire world. It is used to explore the relationship between representation and reality.

Water

Water represents sorrow. Tears are made of water...