The Token

John Donne 1572 (London) – 1631 (London)



Send me some token, that my hope may live,
 Or that my easeless thoughts may sleep and rest;
Send me some honey to make sweet my hive,
 That in my passions I may hope the best.
I beg no riband wrought with thine own hands,
 To knit our loves in the fantastic strain
Of new-touched youth; nor ring to show the stands
 Of our affection, that as that's round and plain,
So should our loves meet in simplicity;
 No, nor the corals which thy wrist enfold,
Laced up together in congruity,
 To show our thoughts should rest in the same hold;
No, nor thy picture, though most gracious,
 And most desired, because best like the best;
Nor witty lines, which are most copious,
 Within the writings which thou hast addressed.

Send me nor this, nor that, to increase my store,
But swear thou think'st 'I love thee,' and no more.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 11, 2023

46 sec read
145

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABABCDCDEFEFGBGB HH
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 806
Words 153
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 16, 2

John Donne

John Donne was an English poet, satirist, lawyer and a cleric in the Church of England. more…

All John Donne poems | John Donne Books

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