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About this quote

What does it mean?
The speaker wonders what they did before love, suggesting it was childish or asleep.
In plain terms
What did we do before we loved?
What can you take from it?
Love changes our state of being.

Where it applies

  • relationships
  • personal growth
  • poetry

Putting it to work

  • reflecting on change
  • appreciating love

Questions to consider

  • What changes with love?
  • What were we before?

Another view

It dismisses pre-love life.

More from John Donne

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  3. Though Truth and Falsehood be Near twins, yet Truth a little elder is.

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