| John Donne (1572–1631). The Poems of John Donne. 1896. | | | | Songs and Sonnets | | Self-love |
| | | HE that cannot choose but love, | |
| And strives against it still, | |
| Never shall my fancy move, | |
| For he loves against his will; | |
| Nor he which is all his own, | 5 |
| And cannot pleasure choose; | |
| When I am caught he can be gone, | |
| And when he list refuse; | |
| Nor he that loves none but fair, | |
| For such by all are sought; | 10 |
| Nor he that can for foul ones care, | |
| For his judgment then is nought; | |
| Nor he that hath wit, for he | |
| Will make me his jest or slave; | |
| Nor a fool when others —— | 15 |
| He can neither —— | |
| Nor he that still his mistress prays, | |
| For she is thrall’d therefore; | |
| Nor he that pays, not, for he says | |
| Within, she’s worth no more. | 20 |
| Is there then no kind of men | |
| Whom I may freely prove? | |
| I will vent that humour then | |
| In mine own self-love. | | | | |
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