The Blossome
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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But thou which lov'st to bee
Well then, stay here; but know,
Little think'st thou, poore flower,
You goe to friends, whose love and meanes present
I would give you
And hop'st her stiffenesse by long siege to bow:
Meet mee at London, then,
When thou hast stayd and done thy most;
Gave to thy growth, thee to this height to raise,
How shall shee know my heart; or having none,
There, to another friend, whom wee shall finde
Subtile to plague thy selfe, wilt say,
Practise may make her know some other part,
A naked thinking heart, that makes no show,
If then your body goe, what need you a heart?
Little think'st thou poore heart
For Gods sake, if you can, be you so too:
Know thee for one?
And seene thy birth, and seene what every houre
Little think'st thou,
And think'st by hovering here to get a part
Whom I have watch'd sixe or seaven dayes,
Twenty dayes hence, and thou shalt see
Alas, if you must goe, what's that to mee?
In a forbidden or forbidding tree,
Then if I had staid still with her and thee.
To your eyes, eares, and tongue, and every part.
But take my word, shee doth not know a Heart.
As glad to have my body, as my minde.
To morrow finde thee falne, or not at all.
Here lyes my businesse, and here I will stay:
Mee fresher, and more fat, by being with men,
Is to a woman, but a kinde of Ghost;
And now dost laugh and triumph on this bough,
Little think'st thou
That it will freeze anon, and that I shall
That labour'st yet to nestle thee,
Must with this Sunne, and mee a journey take.
That thou to morrow, ere that Sunne doth wake,
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