The Flea

John Donne

1572 to 1631

Poem Image
Track 1

Reconstruct the poem by dragging each line into its correct position. Your goal is to reassemble the original poem as accurately as possible. As you move the lines, you'll see whether your arrangement is correct, helping you explore the poem's flow and meaning. You can also print out the jumbled poem to cut up and reassemble in the classroom. Either way, take your time, enjoy the process, and discover how the poet's words come together to create something truly beautiful.

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Cruel and sudden, hast thou since
Where we almost, nay more than married are.   
    Will waste, as this flea's death took life from thee.
Oh stay, three lives in one flea spare,
Thou know'st that this cannot be said
    Though use make you apt to kill me,
    And sacrilege, three sins in killing three.
    And this, alas, is more than we would do.
Purpled thy nail, in blood of innocence?   
    Yet this enjoys before it woo,
Our marriage bed, and marriage temple is;   
Though parents grudge, and you, w'are met,   
Mark but this flea, and mark in this,   
How little that which thou deniest me is;   
And in this flea our two bloods mingled be;   
    And pampered swells with one blood made of two,
    'Tis true; then learn how false, fears be:
Wherein could this flea guilty be,
Yet thou triumph'st, and say'st that thou   
This flea is you and I, and this
A sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead,
And cloistered in these living walls of jet.
It sucked me first, and now sucks thee,
Find'st not thy self, nor me the weaker now;
    Let not to that, self-murder added be,
    Just so much honor, when thou yield'st to me,
Except in that drop which it sucked from thee?