“Song: to Celia” is one of the most famous love poems in the English language. It was written by the English poet Ben Jonson, who is otherwise best known for writing witty plays with complex plots. Jonson was born in London in 1572 and died in 1637. He was thus a rough contemporary of Shakespeare, and was the bard’s primary rival during his lifetime.
Jonson published “Song: to Celia” in 1616, during the middle period of his career. It was originally part of a collection of 15 poems called “The Forest,” which ironically begins with the poem “Why I Write Not of Love” despite containing several love poems.
Like many of Jonson’s poems and plays, “Song: to Celia” borrows heavily from classical sources. The first six lines of the poem are a translation from the letters of the Greek philosopher Philostratus. However, Jonson puts a new, Christian spin on the Greek material by meditating on the value of earthly love in comparison to divine immortality. The poem is also an important example of Renaissance “carpe diem” love poetry, or poetry that tries to persuade a woman to return the speaker’s affections by emphasizing that she will die one day, so might as well enjoy life while it lasts.
