# 16 DONNE
John Donne (1572-1631)
No. 171 Holy Sonnet
Batter my heart, three person’d God;1 for, you
As yet but knocke, breathe, shine, and seeke to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow mee, ‘and bend
Your force, to breake, blowe, burn and make me new.
I, like an usurpt towne, to’another due,2
Labour to’admit you, but Oh, to no end,
Reason your viceroy in mee, mee should defend,3
But is captiv’d, and proves weake or untrue,4
Yet dearely’I love you’, and would be lov’d faine,5
But am betroth’d unto your enemie,
Divorce mee,’untie, or breake that knot againe,6
Take mee to you, imprison mee, for I
Except you’enthrall mee, never shall be free,
Nor ever chast, except you ravish mee.
1
three person’d God: The Trinity: the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Son
2
an usurpt towne, to’another due: is usurped by Satan, but belongs to God
3
mee should defend: should maintain me against the force that has usurped me
4
untrue: unfaithful (to God, for whom reason is viceroy)
5
faine: with joy
6
againe: the first time having occurred with Christ’s Incarnation and Passion