The Broken Heart

A Love Complex

John Donne is a poet who is most frequently associated with God, love, and, well, being clever. The religious and romantic aspects of his work are pretty easy to spot, but his cleverness takes a keener eye.

It also frequently takes the form of a poetic technique called a conceit, which is a kind of extended metaphor that brings together two seemingly-unrelated elements, like someone's heart and a pile of broken glass.

For more examples of Donne's favorite topics and techniques, check out "The Flea," "The Computation," and "Death, be not proud."