John Donne's poem "Canonization," with its witty analogies and creative use of ideas, exemplifies metaphysical poetry. The poem begins suddenly in typical Donne style. The speaker addresses someone who seems to disapprove of his love. He asks the recipient to be silent or to reproach him for his other defects such as paralysis, gout, gray hair or his ruined fortune. Then he talks about the things that society deems important and tells the recipient to work for them instead of criticizing the speaker. The recipient is asked to work to improve their status or mind through wealth or the arts; follow a course or undertake a profession; or worry about gaining favor with the nobility or chasing money. It is implied that these things have no value to the speaker and that there is something inherently wrong with society that encourages greed, servility, and greed but blames him for his love. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't 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 ugly realities of the world. He asks rhetorically, “who is hurt by my love?” The torments of love experienced by the speaker, his sighs, tears, colds and passion, do not harm anyone else. The innocence of his love is then contrasted with the misery, exploitation and suffering prevalent in the real world. His sighs do not sink ships, nor do his tears 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, wars and quarrelsome men, are not affected by his love at all. The stanza ends with the mention of the speaker's lover, who for the first time becomes an active part of what until now was only mentioned by the speaker as "my love." The third stanza is full of metaphors that highlight the saintly nature of the lovers. The poet says that lovers do not care about society's censorship because their love has made them what they are. Society may compare them to insignificant flies/moths, but such a comparison also highlights their holy nature because like moths they too are ready to sacrifice themselves to the flame (of love). Lovers are therefore compared to a candle that dies at its own expense. Likewise, lovers are consumed by their own passion. The conventional symbols "the eagle and the dove" denoting masculine strength and feminine kindness are then used to explain how opposing forces unite within them. The speaker then compares himself and his beloved to a phoenix, which also has religious significance regarding the resurrection that awaits 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, living beyond their "death", they perform a miracle that can be interpreted as a sign of sanctification. The sexual act is presented as a sacrament, celebrated by two saints (the lovers), in the cult of their religion (love). This application of sexual imagery in a religious context is almost blasphemous. In the third stanza, the poet gradually moves away from ironic and witty lines and acquires a serious tone. The tenderness and seriousness continue in the fourth verse. The speaker says that the lovers are ready to die for their.