Song to Celia ("Drink to me only with thine eyes") Themes

"To Celia" is a mini love song of sorts. The speaker talks about how he doesn't need a real drink, only a cup that has been kissed by the woman he loves. (It sort of reminds us of that song from Ha...

While "To Celia" doesn't really talk about death in any direct way, it does glance at the sad fact that things die. Think about it: the speaker sends the woman he admires a "rosy wreath" (9) becaus...

There is no obvious spirituality in "To Celia," but the speaker does talk about the soul and implies that there is something spiritual and divine about love. He suggests that a show of love from Ce...

"To Celia" is both an exercise in how to borrow from obscure writers (ancient dude named Philostratus, anyone?) to make a good poem, as well as a reflection on the reception and continued transmiss...