Holy Sonnet Xiv: Batter My Heart, Three-personed God

John Donne

Batter my heart, three-personed 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 usurped town, to another due,
Labor to admit you, but O, to no end;
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
but is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betrothed 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 even chaste, except you ravish me.

Next 10 Poems

• 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
• John Donne : Indifferent, The
• John Donne : Love's Alchemy
• John Donne : Love's Deity

Previous 10 Poems

• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xiv
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xiii: What If This Present Were The World's Last Night?
• John Donne : Holy Sonnet Xii: Why Are We By All Creatures Waited On?
• 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