Summary

The speaker begins by declaring that he is a fool both for being in love and for attempting to express that love in poetry. However, he defends himself in saying that anyone, no matter how wise, would take his place if they could. It is an understandable mistake to believe that he could manage his pain by making sense of it in art.

However, as soon as he does so, someone else will read it over, and perhaps share it with others. In this way, the pain the speaker feels becomes even more powerful. He concludes that he is thus foolish in another way, which includes being "a little wise" (22).

Analysis

In this poem, Donne addresses a classic poetic theme: the emotional challenge faced by a writer who chooses to incorporate aspects of his life into his art. Donne’s work tends to lend...