This is a typical Metaphysical conceit, Knowledge of other cultures was expanding during this time. Donne must have known about the virgins in heaven of the Muslim faith. He is saying ‘You’re like 72 virgins all in one!’

The body is like the clothing of the soul (as when Andrew Marvell strips off his body’s vest so his soul can sing), so getting naked is like casting away one’s mortal coil to get closer to God…or, in this case, to the horny poet

The American New Critics loved Donne, and this phrase inspired Cleanth Brooks' book of literary criticism.

The ‘well-wrought urn’, apart from continuing the extended metaphor of death/orgasm, is also a metaphor for the clever poetry Donne was able to write; a strikingly inventive and compact idea.

Ironically, though Donne wrote many sonnets, this is not one. The ‘pretty rooms’ will be the sweet places where they can make love.

They are like two flies that buzz around each other. This reference echoes The Flea, in which he elevates sex and love by imagining his and his partner’s blood mixing in the body of the parasite.

The two ‘exclamatory 'alas’s are sarcastic. Donne is clearly not at all regretful about his loving relationship. He defends himself by saying, 'we’re not hurting anyone by loving each other.’

He goes on to list situations which could hardly have been affected by ‘my sighs’. For example, did his winter cold ever delay spring? He deems it illogical that any damage could have been done by his ‘love’.

Note the interrogatives; When, What, Who, When, that begin the first five lines. These function as a refrain, emphasising his annoyance at the reaction of people to his marriage.

Part of the enjoyment of this poem is the outrage that Donne clearly feels and expresses. This would work very well as a performance poem, read aloud with the right tone of voice to an audience.