ABSTRACT
John Donne's poetry combines paradoxical wit, scientific and theological learning with the rhythms and diction of spoken language. Crises of love, conscience, and faith are the great concerns of his poetry which is by turns exalted or disenchanted, direct or oblique, morally profound or outrageously spiteful. Everett cites the preference for the writing of love-poetry over political success and material gain by Ovid, Amores, while Gardner points out his classic treatment of the theme of the world well lost for love in H. Richmond. As noted by Richmond, the idea of long-lasting posthumous renown as lovers originated with Theocritus, and is elaborated into an annual religious commemoration by Ronsard in Marie, Celle fin in lgies Marie. The phoenix was popular with the Christian fathers such as Tertullian as an emblem of the Resurrection of Christ, and thus suits this poems religious parody, further emphasised by the word Mysterious.
