The speaker lists ordinary purchases—land, meat, eggs—where the buyer also gets unwanted extras like stones, bones, and shells. Then he turns to love and says you get nothing else: love itself is all there is, and it is not a comfort. What follows is a string of unromantic images. Love is a burr on the floor, a thief behind the door, a bridle, a load, a thorn, a net, a snare. It looks bright but acts like venom; it flares hot and quickly goes cold. The mood is bitter and warning, almost like a folk saying meant to guard people against infatuation. The speaker feels trapped and deceived by desire, and he wants readers to see love as a painful, fleeting trick rather than a fair trade.
Who Buys Land — Summary
Who buys land buys many stones, Who buys flesh buys many bones; Who buys eggs buys many shells, Who buys love buys nothing else.
Love is a burr upon the floor, Love is a thief behind the door; Who loves leman for her breath May quench his fire and cry for death!
Love is a bridle, love is a load, Love is a thorn upon the road; Love is the fly that flits its hour, Love is the shining venom-flower.
Love is a net, love is a snare, Love is a bubble blown with air; Love starts hot, and waning cold, Is withered in the grave's mould!