Michael Drayton’s “Since there’s no help, come let us kiss and part” is a heartbreaking poem about the termination of his relationship with a woman. Throughout the poem the speaker is deeply suffering because he sees no solution to issues in his love life, and he literally foresees the death of Love, unless his woman objects and relights the fire of Love.
In the first section, the speaker surrenders to the burdens of his ailing love. Desperately, he finalizes the end of their relationship and decides the only option is to kiss and go their separate ways. Although the speaker himself, states “I am glad, yea glad with all my heart/ That this so cleanly I myself can free,” it is not convincing that he can severe all ties so easily and walk away undamaged (3-4). By the repetition of the word glad, the speaker may simultaneously be trying to convince himself and the reader that his current situation is anything to be pleased about. In the next line, he says “shake hands for ever, cancel all our vows,” and this provides evidence that the break up is mutual between the man and woman (5). Shaking hands is a sign of an end to intimacy and agreement. Oddly, canceling all of their vows follows shaking hands. This is heartbreaking because so much of a relationship is based on promises of spoken words and trust that these intangible words hold concrete tangible value. Vows are a declaration that cannot be so easily disposed of by lovers. Immediately following the dismissal of all previous agreements, the speaker presents a new agreement to be followed. He declares that when they see each other again, they must not show any expression or evidence that they have or ever had feelings for one another. By the end of the octave it seems that the speaker is distraught over his once strong love, but ready to put an end to his hopeless relationship.
Surprisingly, the poem takes a turn from complete certainty of termination to the possibility of resolution with the word now. In this section of the poem, Love is personified as a helpless man who the female lover may save if she truly desires. Love is taking his last breaths because Passion, Faith, and Innocence (the inner components of Love and his friends at his sick bed) are weak as well, and Love has nothing left to live for. Passion is an intense emotion that can mean enthusiasm, outburst of emotion, or even strong sexual desire in a relationship. When Passion is speechless, it is not passion at all, and therefore it, like Love, is dying. Faith, the second friend of Love, should be strong and upright, but it is described as kneeling by Love’s deathbed. Therefore, Faith has lost its confidence and by taking a kneeling position, it appears half its size. It can be of no use for the dying Love. Lastly, Innocence associated with children and naiveté usually is wide-eyed and eager, but when exposed to the harsh reality it must shield its eyes. In the poem, it says “Innocence is closing up its eyes,” and this means that the speaker’s innocence is being taken away (12). He used to have pure strong love, but he now learns the utter pain of a broken heart.
Then, in the last couplet, it is as if a miracle potion is discovered that could save the dying Love. The miracle potion is the love and determination of the female lover to save Love. When Passion, Faith, and Innocence are too weak to help Love, the female lover is the only hope left for Love. When the poem ends, the speaker has just planted a seed of hope for the relationship. If the female lover wants to salvage their love she has the final say.
The poem is quite melancholy throughout it, it seems as though there is no Hope and all of Love’s greatest wonders are weak and failing. It appears that the love will end and there is no way to prevent it, but in the last couplet, the sadness is lessened. A staple ingredient of love is replenished: Hope. After the speaker has poured out his heart, he realizes that Love is still fighting to survive and that he still has a chance of becoming healthy and strong if his lover acts quickly.
