Holy Sonnet Xii: Why Are We By All Creatures Waited On?

John Donne

Why are we by all creatures waited on?
Why do the prodigal elements supply
Life and food to me, being more pure than I,
Simple, and further from corruption?
Why brook’st thou, ignorant horse, subjection?
Why dost thou, bull, and bore so seelily,
Dissemble weakness, and by one man’s stroke die,
Whose whole kind you might swallow and feed upon?
Weaker I am, woe is me, and worse than you,
You have not sinned, nor need be timorous.
But wonder at a greater wonder, for to us
Created nature doth these things subdue,
But their Creator, whom sin nor nature tied,
For us, His creatures, and His foes, hath died.

Next 10 Poems

• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xiii: What If This Present Were The World's Last Night?
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xiv
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xiv: Batter My Heart, Three-personed God
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xix: Oh, To Vex Me, Contraries Meet In One
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xv: Wilt Thou Love God, As He Thee? Then Digest
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xvi: Father, Part Of His Double Interest
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xvii: Since She Whom I Loved
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xviii: Show Me, Dear Christ, Thy Spouse, So Bright And Clear
• John Donne : Holy Sonnets: Since She Whom I Lov'd Hath Paid Her Last Debt
• John Donne : Hym To God, My God In My Sickness

Previous 10 Poems

• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xi: Spit In My Face You Jews, And Pierce My Side
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet X: Death Be Not Proud
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet X
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Viii: If Faithful Souls Be Alike Glorified
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Vii: At The Round Earth's Imagined Corners Blow
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Vi: This Is My Play's Last Scene, Here Heavens Appoint
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet V: I Am A Little World Made Cunningly
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Ix: If Poisonous Minerals, And If That Tree
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Iv: Oh My Black Soul! Now Art Thou Summoned
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Iii: O Might Those Sighs And Tears Return Again