Witty, articulate, and a lover of God, John Donne is a “Poet You Should Know” to the Kingdom Winds Crew. He’s got satirical material, poignant material, and even liturgies to the Church. Despite his early writings’ boldness and brashness, it’s his later works that stand out in maturity. His holy sonnets, in particular, are vulnerable depictions of devotion. We are delighted to share one of his more renowned poems, “Holy Sonnets: Batter my heart, three-person’d God,” with you today.
We hope you enjoy.
Holy Sonnets: Batter my heart, three-person’d God
Batter my heart, three-person’d God, for you
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurp’d town to another due,
Labor to admit you, but oh, to no end;
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captiv’d, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be lov’d fain,
But am betroth’d unto your enemy;
Divorce me, untie or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.
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