Batter my heart, three-person’d God (Holy Sonnet XIV)
John Donne * Track #11 On Divine Meditations
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Album Divine Meditations
- #1
Thou hast made me, and shall thy worke decay? (Holy Sonnet I)John Donne
- #2As due by many titles I resigne (Holy Sonnet 2)
John Donne
- #3O might those sighes and teares returne againe (Holy Sonnet III)
John Donne
- #4Oh my blacke Soule! now thou art summoned (Holy Sonnet IV)
John Donne
- #5I am a little world made cunningly (Holy Sonnet V)
John Donne
- #6This is my playes last scene, here heavens appoint (Holy Sonnet VI)
John Donne
- #7What if this present were the worlds last night? (Holy Sonnet VIII)
John Donne
- #8“Death, be not proud” (Holy Sonnet X)
John Donne
- #9Spit in my face you Jewes, and pierce my side (Holy Sonnet XI)
John Donne
- #10Why are wee by all creatures waited on? (Holy Sonnet XII)
John Donne
- #11Batter my heart, three-person’d God (Holy Sonnet XIV)
John Donne
- #12Wilt thou love God, as he thee? then digest (Holy Sonnet XV)
John Donne
- #13Father, part of his double interest (Holy Sonnet XVI)
John Donne
- #14Since she whom I lov’d hath payd her last debt (Holy Sonnet XVII)
John Donne
- #15Show me deare Christ, thy Spouse, so bright and clear. (Holy Sonnet XVIII)
John Donne
- #16Oh, to vex me, contraryes meet in one (Holy Sonnet XIX)
John Donne
Batter my heart, three-person'd God (Holy Sonnet XIV) by John Donne
Performed by
John DonneAbout
The speaker wants to live a holy life, but feels trapped and controlled by Satan. He asks God to overtake him by force. Though Donne was an Anglican priest he uses the same erotic language as in his earlier love poems.
The poem is a sonnet, a traditional form for love poetry. (For more on sonnets...
Batter my heart, three-person’d God (Holy Sonnet XIV) Annotated
Batter my heart, three-person'd God, 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 mee new.
I, like an usurp'd towne, to another due,
Labour to admit you, but Oh, to no end.
Reason, your viceroy in mee, mee should defend,
But is captiv'd, and proves weake or untrue.
Yet dearely I love you, and would be loved faine,
But am betroth'd unto your enemie:
Divorce mee, untie or breake that knot againe,
Take mee to you, imprison mee, for I,
Except you enthrall mee, never shall be free,
Nor ever chast, except you ravish mee.