The Anniversarie

John Donne

1572 to 1631

Poem Image

We are working on musical arrangements of The Anniversarie by John Donne and they will be published on a date yet to be decided.

All Kings, and all their favorites,
All glory of honors, beauties, wits,
The Sun it selfe, which makes times, as they passe,
Is elder by a yeare, now, then it was
When thou and I first one another saw: 
All other things, to their destruction draw,
Only our love hath no decay;
This, no to morrow hath, nor yesterday,
Running it never runs from us away,
But truly keepes his first, last, everlasting day. 

Two graves must hide thine and my coarse,
If one might, death were no divorce.
Alas, as well as other Princes, wee,
(Who Prince enough in one another bee,)
Must leave at last in death, these eyes, and eares, 
Oft fed with true oathes, and with sweet salt teares;
But soules where nothing dwells but love
(All other thoughts being inmates) then shall prove
This, or a love increased there above,
When bodies to their graves, soules from their graves remove. 

And then wee shall be throughly blest,
But wee no more, then all the rest;
Here upon earth, we'are Kings, and none but wee
Can be such Kings, nor of such subjects bee.
Who is so safe as wee? where none can doe 
Treason to us, except one of us two.
True and false feares let us refraine,
Let us love nobly, and live, and adde againe
Yeares and yeares unto yeares, till we attaine
To write threescore: this is the second of our raigne. 

John Donne's The Anniversarie

We are busy working to bring John Donne's "The Anniversarie" to life through our unique musical arrangements and will have a full analysis of the poem here for you soon.

At V2Melody, each arrangement is crafted with care through a thoughtful partnership of human artistry and technological innovation. This process involves:

  • Deep analysis of the poem's rhythm, structure, and emotional essence
  • Careful selection of musical styles that enhance the poem's unique voice
  • Balancing traditional poetic expression with contemporary sound landscapes
  • Multiple revisions to ensure the arrangement honors the poet's original vision

This creative journey takes time—each composition represents hours of dedicated work to create something that deepens our connection to John Donne's words in meaningful ways.

While you wait for our complete interpretation, we invite you to explore other musical arrangements in our gallery or learn more about John Donne's life and contributions to literature.

Check back soon to experience how "The Anniversarie" transforms when verse meets melody—a unique journey that makes poetry accessible, engaging, and profoundly moving in new ways.