Love and Hate in Since there's no help, come let us kiss and part

Love and Hate in "Since there's no help, come let us kiss and part."

"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 1st person in the first part, 3rd person in the 2nd part and 2nd person in the last part. Each section of the poem has a different theme that contributes to the whole theme of the poem.

The 1st 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 lin...

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... poem, I thought it to be weak and nonsensical. However, now, it is easy to see the wisdom behind Drayton's words.

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 would'st, when all have given him over,

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

Work Cited

Drayton, Michael Since there's no help, come let us kiss and part. 1619