English Literature - The Canonization poem - by John Donne - Summary - Notes

THE CANNONIZATION

-- John Donne

          “The Cannonization” is a poem written by John Donne, the greatest Metaphysical poet in English literature.  This is a love poem expressing Donne’s positive attitude towards love. [Critics opine that this poem is an expression of the poet’s love for Anne Moore whom he loved passionately and devotedly.]

          In the beginning of the poem, the poet abruptly asks his friend to hold his tongue. He asks him not to interfere with his (poet’s) love life. The poet says that it is useless to blame him for suffering from gout palsie ( a disease) or baldness.  It is equally useless to try to prevent him from lovemaking. He mockingly asks his friend to leave and continue his education or search for a job, but not to interfere with his affairs.

          In the next stanza, Donne argues that his lovemaking injures no one.  Despite his love, the world goes as usual.  Soldiers still participate in wars. Lawyers still find their clients. Then, Donne asks, why anybody should object his lovemaking.

          The poet calls that others may call him a fly and his beloved another fly which move around each other. He says that they (he and his love) are tapers ready to burn themselves out for love.  He further says that he and his beloved are like eagle and dove. Though they are physically two persons, their love makes them one, like a Phoenix bird. As the Phonnix birds are said to be born out of their ashes, they also would get their lives after death.  He says that they acquire immortality through their sonnets and love lyrics. People would call them saints of love for their faithful pure and generous love. In the last stanza, Donne states that people in the coming generations would address them as saints of love who made each other their pilgrimages.  They would be regarded canonized saints of love.

[Canonize = Officially declare a dead person to be a saint]