The poem “Canonization” by John Donne, with its witty analogies and inventive use of concepts, exemplifies metaphysical poetry. The poem begins abruptly, in typical Donne fashion. The speaker is speaking to someone who seems to disapprove of his love. He asks the recipient to keep quiet or scold him for his other faults like his paralysis, gout, graying hair or ruined fortune. Then he talks about things that society deems important and tells his recipient to work on getting them instead of criticizing the speaker. The recipient is asked to work towards the improvement of his own state or mind through wealth or the arts; follow training or access a profession; or worrying about winning the favor of the nobility or chasing money. It is implied that these things have no value to the speaker and that there is something inherently evil in society that encourages greed, sycophancy, and greed, but reproaches him for his love. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In the second stanza, the poet parodies contemporary Petrarchan notions of love and places them in stark contrast to the horrible realities of the world. He rhetorically asks, “Who is hurt by my love?” » The torments of love experienced by the speaker, his sighs, his tears, his colds and his passion, do no harm to anyone. The innocence of his love is then weighed against the misery, exploitation and suffering that prevail in the real world. Her sighs do not sink ships, and her tears do not flood the lands. The approaching spring is not cooled by its colds and the heat in its veins is not the cause of plague. The real tragedies of this world, the wars and strife between men, are not at all affected by his love. The stanza ends with the mention of the speaker's lover who, for the first time, becomes an active participant in what until now had only been referred to by the speaker as "my love." The third stanza is filled with metaphors that highlight the holy nature of the lovers. The poet says that lovers do not care about society's censure because their love has made them who they are. Society may compare them to insignificant flies/moths, but even such a comparison highlights their holy nature because, like moths, they too are ready to sacrifice themselves to the flame (of love). The lovers are then compared to a candle which dies at its expense. Likewise, lovers are consumed by their own passion. The conventional symbols "the eagle and the dove", denoting masculine strength and feminine gentleness, are then used to explain how opposing forces are brought together within them. The speaker then compares himself and his beloved to a phoenix, which also has religious significance regarding the resurrection that awaits the lovers. The two lovers become one to rise above their sexuality and give credibility to the legend of the phoenix. After being consumed by their passion, they are reborn from the ashes of their love. The word "die" is used as a pun on the popular Renaissance pun meaning orgasm. Thus, by living beyond their own “death”, they perform a miracle which can be considered a sign of sanctification. The sexual act is presented as a sacrament, celebrated by two saints (the lovers), in worship of their religion (love). This application of sexual images in a religious context is almost blasphemous. In the third stanza, the poet gradually moves away from.