Show me deare Christ, thy Spouse, so bright and clear. (Holy Sonnet XVIII)
John Donne * Track #15 On Divine Meditations
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Album Divine Meditations
- #1Thou 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
Show me deare Christ, thy Spouse, so bright and clear. (Holy Sonnet XVIII) by John Donne
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John DonneAbout
In this poem, Donne asks a question that obsessed (and nearly destroyed) Europe during his lifetime: what is the true Church of Jesus? In a classic “conceit,” Donne adopts the metaphor of the Church as the bride of Christ (a familiar one in Western Lit), but pushes it to startling places to find hu...
Show me deare Christ, thy Spouse, so bright and clear. (Holy Sonnet XVIII) Annotated
Show me deare Christ, thy Spouse, so bright and clear.
What! is it She, which on the other shore
Goes richly painted? or which rob'd and tore
Laments and mournes in Germany and here?
Sleepes she a thousand, then peepes up one yeare?
Is she selfe truth and errs? now new, now outwore?
Doth she, and did she, and shall she evermore
On one, on seaven, or on no hill appeare?
Dwells she with us, or like adventuring knights
First travaile we to seek and then make Love?
Betray kind husband thy spouse to our sights,
And let myne amorous soule court thy mild Dove,
Who is most trew, and pleasing to thee, then
When she is embrac'd and open to most men.