seasons and hours, but is endless - which also suggests the physical world's inferiority to the love he is experiencing. Donne uses the metaphor of the 'rags of time' to display its irrelevance within the concept of love. The last line has an extremely effective use of caesuras to give a sense of time: "Nor hours, days, months, which are the rags of time" (Donne, 2000: Line 10). This gives a methodical sense to the poem, and by slowing the actual poem not only draws attention to these lines but also makes the tone more serious.
             In the second stanza Donne challenges the power of the sun, once more insulting the sun by telling the it that he could destroy the sun merely by closing his eyes, so there's no need for the sun to feel at all 'reverend and strong.' However, he refuses to do this, as by closing his eyes will block out the sight of his lover. From Line 15 onwards, Donne uses metaphysical conceit - something extremely typical of him, where he draws upon a vast range of knowledge to express his thought. Donne describes their relationship as 'both th' Indias' - which also at first glance appears confusing, on further analysis reveals not only the spices of East India, but the vast riches of the West Indies - signifying their all-encompassing, priceless wealth. However, in the last two lines of the first stanza, Donne alters his perception of the world and his attitude to the sun: "Ask for the kings whom thou saw'st yesterday, And thou shalt hear, all here in one bed lay" (Donne, 2000: Line 19). Now, instead of asking the sun to leave him and his lover so they can be uninfluenced by time and to remain uninterrupted by the outside, social world, here the poet claims that the social sphere is in his bed. He claims that love has made his bed a treasure ch
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