Unlike Donne's other poems, this poem is written as if by a woman. He is still writing this poem as first person but the poem is written from a feminine point of view, allowing Donne to set a different tone in this poem, expressing the emotions described in this poem in a different way than is usual for him. The whole poem is written like couplets, two consecutive lines rhyme throughout the poem. Speaking it out loud the poem is very fluid, and easy to recite.
The first section deals with the woman questioning her husband leaving her in the morning. "Tis true, 'tis day; what thou it be? / O wilt thou therefore rise from me?" Also, "Love, which in spite of darkness brought us hither, should in despite of light keep us together." Basically, she is saying, so what? Who cares if it is light outside? Why can't we be together here while it is light? Lines 3 and 4 end with the rhyme of light and night, another comparison with the time of day.
The second section talks about light specifically. Here light is taking on qualities; it is not just a thing. She starts by saying that light is all eye; that light is everywhere and sees everything. Again, so what? Even if light could speak, and tell that they stayed together, the worst thing Light could say was that the woman chose to stay with her love, that she was happy to be with him no matter that it was light outside.
The final section shows her disappointment, maybe even frustration or anger that he will not stay with her; that he has to leave her. “Must business thee from hence remove? / O, that’s the worst disease of love”. The speaker is disappointed that her lover must leave to take care of business.
I just want to say that analyzing poetry is challenging to say the least. Please, feel free to help me out with anything that I've missed!
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