No Man is an Island

No man is an island,

Entire of itself.

Each is a piece of the continent,

A part of the main.

If a clod be washed away by the sea,

Europe is the less.

As well as if a promontory were.

As well as if a manor of thine own

Or of thine friend’s were.

Each man’s death diminishes me,

For I am involved in mankind.

Therefore, send not to know

For whom the bell tolls,

It tolls for thee.

by John Donne

One of my favorite books by Hemingway is he wrote, inspired by this poem; For Whom the Bell Tolls.  These famous words by John Donne were not originally written as a poem. It was the passage is taken from the 1624 Meditation 17, from Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions and is prose. The words of the original passage are as follows:

“No man is an inland, entirely of itself; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the Main; if a clod bee washed away by the Sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a Promontory were, as well as if a Manor of thy friends or of thine own were; any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee….”

A poem can stir all of the senses, and the subject matter of a poem can range from being funny to being sad. The photography is my own and I love both;  these words and hope that you liked it and this poem and the sentiments in the words of For whom the bell tolls by John Donne, as much as I do.