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One theme of "The Relic" is love; specifically a love that neither party fully understands. It is not a religious love between John Donne and his unnamed lady, but it has the same mystical pull as religion does. Therefore, it is easy for the poet to imagine people of the future digging up his grave to find his lover's hair and make assumptions about their relationship based on that piece of evidence. In fact, Donne is making light fun of those who create "relics" and attach special meaning to dead bones or hair, which is a common practice in some religions. He realizes that people cannot know the whole story simply from the context of bones. In fact, he has a difficult time understanding the relationship they are in here and now. As he says: First, we lov'd well and faithfully, Yet knew not what we lov'd, nor why; Difference of sex no more we knew Than our guardian angels do. This suggests that he and the woman are good friends, perhaps even veering toward romantic, but without being able to completely express the reasons for their love. There is the idea that they are somehow beyond the bounds of human sexuality, almost to the realm of angels—another reference to religion. He ends the poem by saying: "Should I tell what a miracle she was," which implies that Donne knows he has a special relationship. It is something miraculous in its way, in a sense, like a religious relic.