Sonnet 61 from “Idea’s Mirror” (1594)

Poem Lines

Since there’s no help, come let us kiss and part,
Nay, I have done: you get no more of me,
And I am glad, yea glad with all my heart,
That thus so cleanly I myself can free.
Shake hands for ever, cancel all our vows,
And when we meet at any time again
Be it not seen in either of our brows
That we one jot of former love retain.
Now at the last gasp of Love’s latest breath,
When his pulse failing, Passion speechless lies,
When Faith is kneeling by his bed of death,
And Innocence is closing up his eyes,
     Now, if thou wouldst, when all have given him over,
     From death to life thou might’st him yet recover.

Since there’s no help by Michael Drayton Summary

In the sonnet “Since there’s no help”, the speaker starts by acknowledging that there is no way to fix their failing relationship. He suggests they should say goodbye by kissing and then parting ways. The speaker feels a sense of relief and joy at the thought of ending their relationship cleanly, without any lingering ties. He is glad to be able to free himself completely from their past together.

He proposes that they should shake hands forever and cancel all their vows and promises to each other. When they meet in the future, he hopes that neither of them will show any sign of the old love they once shared. He wants them to completely forget their past relationship and move on without any emotional baggage.

In the latter part of the poem, the speaker uses imagery to describe love as if it were a living person who is now on the verge of death. Love is described as having reached its last breath, with its pulse fading and its passion becoming speechless. Faith, a personified figure, is depicted as kneeling beside Love’s deathbed, while Innocence is closing Love’s eyes, marking the end of their emotional connection.

Despite this apparent finality, the speaker introduces a possibility in the final lines. He suggests that if his former lover were to make an effort, they might still be able to revive Love from its death. There is a small glimmer of hope that, despite the certainty of their separation and the end of their love, it might still be possible to bring it back to life if his former lover truly wished to do so.

So, the poem begins with the speaker firmly accepting the end of their relationship and feeling relieved by it. Yet, it ends with a slight hope that the love they had could still be restored if his former lover tries.

Since there’s no help by Michael Drayton Analysis

Michael Drayton’s sonnet “Since there’s no help” explores the themes of ending a relationship and the lingering hope of revival. The poem, structured in a traditional sonnet form, uses clear language to express a complex emotional state.

The poem opens with the line, “Since there’s no help, come let us kiss and part.” Here, the speaker acknowledges the finality of their situation. The phrase “there’s no help” signals that efforts to mend the relationship have failed. The act of kissing and parting symbolizes a formal and emotional goodbye, suggesting that the relationship has reached its end.

The speaker expresses relief and satisfaction in the next lines: “Nay, I have done: you get no more of me; / And I am glad, yea glad with all my heart, / That thus so cleanly I myself can free.” He feels a sense of liberation from the relationship. The repetition of “glad” emphasizes his emotional release and the pleasure he takes in being free from past commitments. The word “cleanly” implies a desire to end the relationship without any lingering ties or regrets.

The speaker continues with, “Shake hands for ever, cancel all our vows, / And when we meet at any time again, / Be it not seen in either of our brows / That we one jot of former love retain.” Here, he proposes a complete severance of their bond. The gesture of shaking hands “for ever” symbolizes a permanent farewell. The idea of canceling their vows reinforces the finality of their separation. He wishes that, in any future encounters, neither of them should show any sign of their past affection. This indicates a wish for a clean break without any emotional traces.

In the third quatrain, the speaker employs personification to describe love as if it were a living being: “Now at the last gasp of Love’s latest breath, / When, his pulse failing, Passion speechless lies; / When Faith is kneeling by his bed of death, / And Innocence is closing up his eyes.” Love is depicted as dying, with its “last gasp” and “pulse failing” suggesting the end of their emotional connection. The figures of Faith and Innocence personify aspects of love that are fading away. Faith is “kneeling” by Love’s deathbed, while Innocence is “closing up his eyes,” signifying the finality and the end of their shared love.

Despite this seemingly definitive ending, the final couplet introduces a turn of hope: “Now, if thou wouldst, when all have given him over, / From death to life thou might’st him yet recover!” The speaker suggests that even though everyone else has given up on their love, there is still a chance for revival if his former lover makes an effort. The use of “if thou wouldst” and “thou might’st” indicates that the power to restore their love rests with the former lover. The metaphor of love being revived “from death to life” introduces a hopeful possibility that their affection might be restored if desired.

“Since there’s no help” begins with the speaker firmly accepting the end of a relationship and feeling relieved by the clean break. Yet, it ends with a lingering hope that, despite the apparent finality, love could still be revived if his former lover chooses to act. This shift from certainty to hope highlights the emotional complexity of ending a relationship and the persistent hope that love might find a way back.

Since there’s no help by Michael Drayton Line by Line Explanation

“Since there’s no help, come let us kiss and part”
Explanation: The speaker acknowledges that their issues cannot be resolved and suggests a final, affectionate farewell through a kiss.
Analysis: The line sets a tone of resignation and finality. The direct address engages the lover directly, emphasizing the personal and immediate nature of their decision. The suggestion to kiss and part indicates a desire to end things on a note of mutual respect despite the circumstances.

“Nay, I have done: you get no more of me;”
Explanation: The speaker declares that they are finished with the relationship and will offer nothing more.
Analysis: This declarative statement is firm and decisive, reflecting the speaker’s resolve. The use of “done” conveys a sense of completion and finality, reinforcing the break in the relationship.

“And I am glad, yea glad with all my heart,”
Explanation: The speaker expresses genuine happiness and relief at the end of the relationship.
Analysis: The repetition of “glad” emphasizes the depth of the speaker’s feelings. This repetition serves to underscore their emotional response and the sincerity of their relief.

“That thus so cleanly I myself can free.”
Explanation: The speaker feels pleased that they can completely free themselves from the relationship.
Analysis: The metaphor of freeing oneself suggests a sense of liberation from emotional entanglement. The term “cleanly” implies a desire for a neat and unambiguous end to the relationship.

“Shake hands for ever, cancel all our vows,”
Explanation: The speaker proposes a final handshake and the annulment of all their previous promises.
Analysis: The imagery of shaking hands symbolizes a formal and respectful conclusion. Canceling vows emphasizes the total dissolution of their commitments, marking a definitive end.

“And when we meet at any time again,”
Explanation: The speaker considers the possibility of meeting their former lover in the future.
Analysis: This conditional phrase introduces the notion of future encounters, hinting at the speaker’s contemplation of how they will interact if their paths cross again.

“Be it not seen in either of our brows”
Explanation: They hope that no trace of past affection will be visible on either of their faces.
Analysis: The imagery of brows reflects the idea of emotions being visible on one’s face. The speaker wishes for complete emotional detachment, symbolized by the absence of affection on their faces.

“That we one jot of former love retain.”
Explanation: They wish to ensure that no small amount of past love remains between them.
Analysis: The use of hyperbole here emphasizes the speaker’s desire to completely eradicate any lingering affection. The phrase “one jot” highlights their wish for total emotional separation.

“Now at the last gasp of Love’s latest breath,”
Explanation: The speaker refers to the final moments of love’s existence, as if love is dying.
Analysis: The personification of love as a living entity with a “last gasp” creates a vivid image of love’s decline. This emphasizes the finality and gravity of the relationship’s end.

“When, his pulse failing, Passion speechless lies;”
Explanation: Love’s vitality is waning, and passion is rendered silent.
Analysis: The imagery of a failing pulse and speechless passion further personifies love, suggesting its decline is both physical and emotional. This adds to the sense of finality and loss.

“When Faith is kneeling by his bed of death,”
Explanation: Faith is depicted as being present beside love as it dies.
Analysis: The personification of Faith kneeling adds a solemn and ceremonial tone to the end of love. It underscores the gravity of the situation and the acceptance of love’s demise.

“And Innocence is closing up his eyes.”
Explanation: Innocence is shown as performing the final act of closing love’s eyes.
Analysis: The personification of Innocence closing love’s eyes further symbolizes the end of love. It suggests a peaceful and gentle conclusion, emphasizing the completeness of the end.

“Now, if thou wouldst, when all have given him over,”
Explanation: The speaker proposes that even though everyone else has abandoned hope, the former lover might still revive love.
Analysis: The conditional phrase introduces a possibility of revival, reflecting a glimmer of hope or a final plea for reconciliation.

“From death to life thou might’st him yet recover!”
Explanation: The speaker suggests that the former lover could still restore love to life from its deathbed.
Analysis: The metaphor of reviving love from death adds a dramatic and hopeful element, contrasting with the overall tone of resignation. It implies that despite the finality, there’s still a chance for revival if the former lover acts.