What is Metaphysical Poetry? | Metaphysical Poems of John Donne, Andrew Marvell, Abraham Cowley

Metaphysical Poetry is a type of poetry that becomes very famous in the twenty-first century. Even before that 'Metaphysicalilty' was a celebrated style of poem writing. 

Samuel Johnson first brings the idea of metaphysics in the seventeenth century. 

In the biography of the poet Abraham Cowley, Johnson first used the metaphysical conceits. He is not only affiliated with the concept of metaphysical poetry but other poets also used metaphysical conceits in their poems. 

Mainly metaphysical poems of John Donne is famous for Metaphysical conceits.

                 Metaphysical Poems of John Donne | Photo by Matthew T Rader on Unsplash

What is Metaphysical Poetry?

Mainly it is a type of poem where the poets use some points that usually not used to be given. 

In metaphysical poetry, there will be something beyond reality, and beyond of physicality (physical bond). 

If we read metaphysical poems will definitely feel that the poems are written without taking care of the world system.

Metaphysical Conceits

Metaphysical Conceits are one of the relevant structures of poetry. 

It is being taken place in the poem when the poet takes a far-fetched reference for opening a scene. 

'Metaphysical conceit' is an analogy between spiritual components and the physical world that are separate from each other. 

We can give an example from John Donne's 'A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning' where he says,

"If they be two, they are two so,

As stiff twin compasses are two"

Here, by these lines the poet expressing his love with 'stiff twin'. 

So a far-fetched reference is taken that is why these lines are producing 'Metaphysical conceits'. It is a primary source of making Metaphysical poetry.

Metaphysical Poets and Their Poems

Metaphysical Poems of John Donne

      In the seventeenth century, a group had started writing a new type of poem that has  become Metaphysical poetry. 

     We find John Donne as a very famous Metaphysical Poet. 

     His poem 'Good Morrow' is one of the major poems that produces metaphysical Conceits too. 

     "The Dream" is also another metaphysical poem by Donne. 

     “The Flea", “Holy Sonnets", “The Canonization”, “The Sun Rising" are the other calibrated metaphysical poems by John Donne.

·       George Harbert is another famous metaphysical poet who has published his edition called 'The Temple'.

·       Andrew Marvell is also a famous poet for his metaphysical poetry. "To His Coy Mistress" is one of his best metaphysical poems.

·       Even in Shakespeare's "Sonnet 7" we can find meta-physicality. 

     Though he brings the idea before them. That is why we can include him as a metaphysical poet too.

·        Abraham Cowley is another celebrated poet of Metaphysical poetry. “The Mistress", “Poetical Blossoms” are his poems where we can find metaphysical conceits.

·       Thomas Traherne also belongs to the genre of metaphysical poetry. His famous poems that get published are “The Salution", “The Preparative", “Poverty".