What kinds of writing did John Donne produce while living in poverty?

During the decade of poverty and financial dependence that followed his secret marriage in 1601, John Donne continued to study and write assiduously despite his personal despair.1

During this period, he produced a variety of works, including:

• Prose: He wrote works focused on theology, canon law, and anti-Catholic polemics.1
• Poetry: He composed love lyrics, religious poetry, and verse intended for his patrons, such as complimentary and funerary poems.1

While he lived in these difficult circumstances, he relied on the support of noble patrons and repeatedly sought secular employment before eventually turning toward his religious vocation in the Church of England.1