Love

Love symbolizes God. In the poem, the speaker uses Love metonymically to represent God's love for humanity. Love is a gracious host to the speaker, encouraging him to embrace his own worthiness and enjoy the food and drink Love offers (i.e., eternal life in Heaven).

Food

Because of the poem's metaphysical nature, food serves as a dual symbol of both Heaven's spoils and of erotic indulgence. As the host, Love entreats the speaker to "taste my meat" (17), referring to enjoying the afterlife in God's presence. But Herbert, like other metaphysical poets, conflates the erotic and the spiritual throughout the poem, configuring Love as a romantic lover as well as a Heavenly host. Thus, food becomes sexually suggestive at the same time it stands in for the experience of eternal bliss.

Eyes

Eyes symbolize the connection between God and humanity. When the speaker feels too ashamed...