Confined Love
John Donne
1572 to 1631
Track 1
Reconstruct the poem by dragging each line into its correct position. Your goal is to reassemble the original poem as accurately as possible. As you move the lines, you'll see whether your arrangement is correct, helping you explore the poem's flow and meaning. You can also print out the jumbled poem to cut up and reassemble in the classroom. Either way, take your time, enjoy the process, and discover how the poet's words come together to create something truly beautiful.
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If on womankind he might his anger wreake,
If they leave their mate, or lie abroad a night?
Good is not good, unlesse
Who e'r rigg'd faire ship to lie in harbors,
And thence a law did grow,
Beasts doe no joyntures lose
Or built faire houses, set trees, and arbors,
To smile where they list, or lend away their light?
But are other creatures so?
But we are made worse then those.
One might but one man know;
Only to lock up, or else to let them fall?
Of old or new love, himselfe being false or weake,
Some man unworthy to be possessor
But doth wast with greedinesse.
A thousand it possesse,
Though they new lovers choose,
Are birds divorc'd, or are they chidden
Thought his paine and shame would be lesser,
Are Sunne, Moone, or Starres by law forbidden,
And not to seeke new lands, or not to deale withall?