John Donne (1572-1631) was the foremost of the metaphysical poets and is one of the most famous and well-regarded poets of the English language. This week, in honor of Valentine’s Day, I read his timeless classic “The Ecstasy”, in which he recounts his profound metaphysical visions while lying beside a riverbank with his beloved. In my analysis I share who I think his beloved might be, and how this poem ties to the tragic story of his life. This is a poem I have a personal history with and is definitely one for the lovers. It’s also an ambitious piece and is an episode I’m very proud of. I sincerely hope you enjoy. To read “The Ecstasy” online, click here To learn more about John Donne, click here To learn about Christian Wiman, click here To order Christian Wiman’s book “The Long Home”, click here To order the current edition of The Norton Anthology of Poetry, click here Visit on the web at http://renofmen.com Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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