We are IT!

Another way of saying “orgasm”

Donne is comparing himself to a saint trying to get canonized

Would-be saints had to prove that they had suffered trials; I’m not sure Donne’s “five gray hairs” would cut it

We’re not hurting anyone by loving each other

Seriously, shut up

That’s kind of insulting, isn’t it?

Throughout the poem, Donne is telling the girl how insignificant her chastity is in order to get her to sleep with him

“Your parents hate me, you hate me…but let’s not let that get in our way”

Killing the flea, that miniature “marriage temple,” made no difference whatsoever. Nor will it make any difference if she sleeps with him!

The logic is slippery here, but Donne was so sexy I bet this worked a lot.

Even though she’s shed her own blood, and his, by killing the flea, neither one is suffering a loss of strength.

Similarly, they won’t be any weaker after orgasm, which was often referred to as a “death” (le petit mort, the little death).