Metaphysical poetry emerged in the 17th century as a revolt against the contemporary fashion of poetry. It reacted against the Renaissance softness, smoothness, and sweet expression of Petrarchan style and
The term "metaphysical" is used of a number of English poets Of the first half of the seventeenth century, notably Donne, Carew, George Herbert, Crashaw, Henry Vaughan and Abraham Cowley.
