Since there’s no help, come let us kiss and part.

From death to life thou migh’st him yet recover!

"There’s a thin line between love and hate" describes the theme of Michael Drayton’s sonnet "Since there’s no help, come let us kiss and part." Unlike most love sonnets, which talk about the many intricacies of love, Drayton’s poem discusses the end of love and its possible recovery.

This Shakespearean sonnet consisting of 14 lines can be subdivided into 3 parts. In each part, the poet uses a different voice. He uses 1^st person in the first part, 3^rd person in the 2^nd part and 2^nd person in the last part. Each section of the poem has a different theme that contributes to the whole theme of the poem.

The 1^st section of the poem, lines 1 through 8, contains the majority of the poem’s theme. Drayton, without much introduction, leads his readers right into the sonnet’s subject. He, directly addressing his X-lover, says, "Since there’s no help, come let us kiss and part." From the very first line, we know the poet has doomed this relationship to end. The phrase "there’s no help" indicates to us a frustration between the two parties involved in this relationship. Instead of proving to his readers that this relationship is doomed, Drayton takes this point as fact and builds on it in the second half of the line "come let us kiss and part." The tone in this half is one of acceptance. Since the couple can do nothing more to redeem their failing relationship, they willingly acquiesce to this fact and move on. The term "kiss and part" gives the reader a terminal feeling to this relationship. It’s as if two acquaintances part at the airport not caring that they will never see one another again.

In contrast to the accepting and civil tone within the first line, the second line embodies a harsher voice. Drayton tells his old lover that she can have "no more" of him. Despite the austere appearance of this statement, the word "Nay" expresses the lover’s apprehensiveness associated with his decision. It’s as if he’s attempting to convince himself as well as his reader that the relationship is ruined. Thus, giving an uncertain and doubtful impression. The third line reiterates this notion. After first assuring himself "you get no more of me," the lover says "And I am glad, yea glad with all my heart." It’s as though he is forcing himself and us to believe that he’s glad, glad with all his heart. Also, the word "heart" emphasizes the love-hate theme of the poem. A heart is the instrument by which humans feel love and hate. It’s interesting that both extremes reflect themselves within the same place. The heart that once loved this woman wants desperately to hate and forget her. Furthermore, the word "glad" is a paradox in itself. In a situation where a relationship is ending, the last emotion anyone feels is glad. Here the poet grabs this emotion and molds it into an unexpected situation.

As the poem progresses in this first section, the lover’s tone becomes more acrimonious and less understanding. After kissing, parting, and being glad with all his heart, he now wants to clean himself freely of her. "That thus so cleanly I myself can free." Again, we feel he is unsure of his decision through the repetition of his desire to be free of this relationship. The order of the words in this line adds power to its tone. By reading the word "cleanly" before the word "free", we feel his passion to finish off any last strands because the emphasis is shifted from the subject to the adverb (cleanly) and verb (free). Furthermore, the word "so" empowers the word "cleanly." Since "so" is an unstressed syllable, "cleanly" becomes stressed, particularly the "clean" in "cleanly." Also the word "free" is stressed. Therefore, the two words that add power to this line are stressed. An alternative would have been "Thus I so cleanly free myself." One can notice an impeccable difference between both lines, the first one being the more powerful.

The fifth line is also very powerful. "Shake hands for ever, cancel all our vows." It has a foreboding end to it. I think the reason Drayton uses the phrase "shake hands for ever" is to iterate both parties’ acceptance of this failing relationship. When two people shake hands on a certain issue, they are in agreement. The longer the shake, the better the agreement and the more happy the recipients. Here Drayton shakes hands with his X-lover for ever. This means both parties did not come to agree through compromise, one letting go of his/her desires for the better of the group, but in fact both desire and welcome this truce. It’s also interesting how Drayton uses the word forever as two words. Instead of saying "forever," he says "for ever", separating the "for" from the "ever." I’m not sure why he did this. I looked up the word "for ever" in the dictionary but could not find any origin for it. My hypothesis is that like the words "foreshadow," and "forebode," the word "forever" would have been too final, too definite. On the other hand, the word "for ever" doesn’t sound as conclusive and as final as "forever." This goes back to the author’s feeling of uncertainty as far as his relationship is concerned.

The second half of the line is as severe as any of the previous lines. Here the author wishes to end all links to his woman, including even their vows and promises. Vows are of crucial importance in marriage ceremonies. Couples usually take pains in drawing up their own vows. These vows are supposed to bond and hold the married couple together. When Drayton says, "cancel all our vows" he eliminates and casts off all previous promises made between the couple. In contrast to the uncertainty that is felt in some of the previous lines, this line is unyielding in its severity.

The next three lines, lines 6 through 8 conjure up a scene in the reader’s mind. When this couple meet, at any time in the near or far future, in any instance, under any circumstance, they are to ignore one another to the point where it’s not even shown in their faces. This is a pact they are drawing up. Interestingly, the same out-of-order form used in line 4 is used in lines 7 and 8. I like the way the author used the passive voice in line 7. He says "be it not seen" instead of "let no one see." Since the subject is unknown in passive voice, it can be anyone. Let no one, not a single soul see…" Also, the image of the "brows" is interesting. The eyebrows hold the tone of any face. In fact, in some faiths, one is forbidden to shape their brows because of the immense difference it has on one’s facial expression. The author used this image to accentuate the importance of hiding the couple hiding their feelings after the end of their relationship. Moreover, it’s ironic that in line 5 the poet says "cancel all our vows," meaning end all agreements. Yet here he is making another agreement. Should one believe this "vow" might be cancelled as well? Indeed, this point makes one think how uncertain the lover must be. On the other hand, he uses the word "jot" meaning "iota" in line 8 to indicate how much love should NOT be seen in their faces. The fact Drayton uses the verb "seen" can indicate the lovers may very well retain "one jot of former love" if not more than one jot. However, they must not let it be seen. If others see it, they might sympathize. The lover wants no sympathy.

This first section, using first person voice has set the scene. We know how adamant (or not) the author is at ending this relationship. We see he is frustrated and angry through the drawn up imageries of the "brow", the "kiss and part", and the cancellation of all previous vows. The next section, using the third person voice, moves away from the central situation. Here the author discusses the dying of Love. He personifies Love as a sick man on his death bed. He also personifies the three aspects of love: Passion, Faith and Innocence. The use of personification adds power to the poem. Instead of viewing Passion, Faith and Innocence as mere concepts, we view them as friends and companions to Love. This section, although very different from the first section, re-emphasizes the dying love between the man and the woman. Drayton takes this love and examines it closely.

We enter the scene as abruptly as we entered the poem. Love is taking his last gasp of breath, ready to die. This image draws up a picture of an old man with age old lines on his face, gasping for breath. His friends and companions surround him. These companions are Passion, Faith and Innocence. Each of his companions hold a role in this death scene related to their role in the Love relationship. In line ten, "Passion speechless lies." The verb speechless deems passion inactive. Usually, with a healthy relationship full of love, passion is anything but inactive. On the contrary, it is usually vigorous and vibrant. Passion finds no bounds in love. It’s like a wolf in amongst a heard of sheep. Here, however, passion lies speechless next to Love. It is no longer vibrant or vigorous. Instead, it is inert and lethargic.

Also, in line eleven, Faith is "kneeling by [love’s] bed of death." Faith, as any young man, should stand tall and strong. Here, however, he is kneeling at Love’s death bed. When Love is blooming, Faith is powerful and strong. It, more than love, bonds the couple together, for without Faith, Love is weak. As reflected in line eleven, Faith is week as it kneels on the bed; therefore, making love even weaker…to the point of death. We move onto Innocence in line twelve. Here, Innocence, who is also personified, is "closing up [Love’s] eyes." Innocence is very much related to eyes. An innocent person is one who sees little of what this world has to offer. Innocent people’s eyes rarely come across non-innocent behavior. Their eyes do not witness betrayal and hate. Love in its youth starts out with innocent eyes. He thinks he will last forever with in the couple’s heart. But now, Love knows better. He is no longer innocent. The image drawn up by Drayton is very appropriate. As Love dies, so does Innocence. Unlike Love, Innocence does not die in a death bed. He dies with the closing of the eyes.

Lines 9 through 12, using third person to refer to Love, are a scene drawn up by the poet. We enter it in the middle. The tone in those 4 lines is that of on going action. The use of present participle indicates this on going action. Love’s pulse is failing while Passion is speechless during the same time that Faith is kneeling and Innocence is closing up the eyes. There is somewhat of a freeze when the third section is introduced. Love, the reader, and the poet’s roles are reversed. The readers assume the position of the woman. Love assumes the position of the man. The poet is both narrator and director. With the introduction of lines thirteen and fourteen, the poet is the director screaming at the top of his lungs "CUT, wait there’s more. He has a last chance." Love CAN survive. The poet, in the tone of narrator shown through the use of 2^nd person, appeals to the woman lover (the reader). He says, "look all has given him up. Passion, Faith, and Innocence, ‘all have given him over’ but if you would’st, you can recover him yet from death back into life." The verb "would’st" in "if thou would’st" doesn’t only mean "would" as in "able", it also means "would" as in "desire or wish." If you desire and wish it, Love can recover.

In conclusion, the theme of this poem illustrates the thin line between love and hate. As easily as love formed, it can be destroyed. As easy as it was destroyed it can be formed again. If one wishes to love again, then regain your vibrant passion, restore your healthy faith, and turn your innocence into wisdom. Drayton does a beautiful job of pushing this point through. When I first read this poem, I thought it to be weak and nonsensical. However, now, it is easy to see the wisdom behind Drayton’s words.