Song: Go and catch a falling star

Song: Go and catch a falling star

By John Donne

Go and catch a falling star,
    Get with child a mandrake root,
Tell me where all past years are,
    Or who cleft the devil’s foot,
Teach me to hear mermaids singing,
Or to keep off envy’s stinging,
            And find
            What wind
Serves to advance an honest mind.

If thou be’st born to strange sights,
    Things invisible to see,
Ride ten thousand days and nights,
    Till age snow white hairs on thee,
Thou, when thou return’st, wilt tell me,
All strange wonders that befell thee,
            And swear,
            No where
Lives a woman true, and fair.

If thou find’st one, let me know,
    Such a pilgrimage were sweet;
Yet do not, I would not go,
    Though at next door we might meet;
Though she were true, when you met her,
And last, till you write your letter,
            Yet she
            Will be
False, ere I come, to two, or three.

PARAPHRASE

Stanza 1

It is impossible to catch a falling star. It is equally impossible to produce a human body from the root of the mandrake plant (which resembles the human shape).

(The poet mentions all the impossible things and comes to the conclusion that it is impossible to find a handsome and faithful woman in the world). It is impossible to tell where the past years have gone or who clove (split) the Devil’s foot, or to listen to the music of the mermaids (fabulous creatures) or to change human nature so as not to feel the pain of envy or to find out the reasons which make a man honest. (Just as these things are impossible, so also a fair and faithful woman is impossible.)

Stanza 2

If a man is born with the power to see strange sights and even invisible objects, if he rides ten thousand days and nights and travels all over the world till his hair turn grey and if he on return tells me all the wonderful things and happenings, he will not be able to swear an oath that he ever found (during his travels) a fair and faithful woman.

Stanza 3

If any one finds a woman who is both fair and true, the poet would go to her, as if on a pilgrimage to some holy place. Such a woman would be worthy of worship. However, the poet feels that such a journey–even if it be at the next door–would be futile. The woman might have been faithful at the time when you meet her, but she could not be faithful to you for long. By the time you write your letter to her, she would have been false to you (and been loved by two or three lovers).

CRITICAL NOTES AND EXPLANATIONS

Stanza 1

L.1. Goe, and……..starre:  Accomplish the impossible task of catching a falling star. L.2. Get with…….roote: Another equally impossible task can be to search out a mandrake plant bearing a child (the mandrake plant was said to perform many functions similar to those done by human beings but its only deficiency was that it could not bear child).

L.3. Tell me……years are: The poet asks whether someone can tell him where the past years have gone (which is another impossible task).: L.4. Cleft split. L.5. Mermaides singing: According to classical mythology mermaids—half-fish, half-woman—use to sing very sweetly. But as no one has ever seen them in reality, their music also cannot be heard. L.6. Envy’s stinging: The pain of envy. L.8. What winde: The poet wants to know the reasons (wind). L.9. Serves to…..minde: Make a man honest..

Stanza 2

L.10-11. If thou…….to see: The poet wants to know the person who is born with the capacity to see strange sights and even invisible objects.

L.12-13. Ride….. On thee: He should go on travelling around the world for ten thousand days and nights till his hair turn grey. L.15. That befell thee: The wonders that he came by. L.18. A woman true, and faire: A woman comprising of both faithfulness as well as beauty.

Stanza 3

L.19-20. If thou…….sweet: If one finds such a lady the poet would very much like to visit her, as if on a pilgrimage to some holy place. L.21- 22. Yet do not…..we might meet: The poet feels that such a journey—even if be up to the next door—will be of no use. L.23. Though…..met her: She might have been faithful when you met her for the first time. L.24. And last: This faithfulness will not last for long. L.24-27. Till you write…..or three: By the time you write her a letter, she would have been false to you (having been loved by two or three lovers by then).

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