Love built on beauty, soon as beauty, dies.
John DonneRead
Up then, fair phoenix bride, frustrate the sun; Thyself from thine affection Takest warmth enough, and from thine eye All lesser birds will take their jollity. Up, up, fair bride, and call Thy stars from out their several boxes, take Thy rubies, pearls, and diamonds forth, and make Thyself a constellation of them all; And by their blazing signify That a great princess falls, but doth not die. Be thou a new star, that to us portends Ends of much wonder; and be thou those ends.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote expresses the idea of rising and shining through love's transformative power.
In this quote, John Donne uses the metaphor of a phoenix and celestial imagery to convey the transformative and uplifting nature of love. He encourages the beloved to rise above all challenges and shine brightly, suggesting that her beauty and presence can outshine even the sun and create a dazzling constellation. The overarching message is one of love's enduring strength, suggesting that even in moments of peril, love allows one to transcend and emerge renewed.
Themes
LoveTransformationBeautyHopePerseverance
In practice
Example use cases
Use this quote at a wedding to highlight the beauty of love.
More from John Donne
All quotes →Reason is our soul's left hand, Faith her right, By these we reach divinity
John DonneRead
All occasions invite His mercies, and all times are His seasons.
John DonneRead
If poisonous minerals, and if that tree, Whose fruit threw death on else immortal us, If lecherous goats, if serpents envious Cannot be damned; alas; why should I be?
John DonneRead
Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
John DonneRead
I call not that virginity a virtue, which resideth onely in the bodies integrity; much less if it be with a purpose of perpetually keeping it: for then it is a most inhumane vice. - But I call that Virginity a virtue which is willing and desirous to yield it self upon honest and lawfull terms, when just reason requireth; and until then, is kept with a modest chastity of body and mind.
John DonneRead
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