| Nicholson & Lee, eds. The Oxford Book of English Mystical Verse. 1917. |
| |
| 8. Sonnet |
| By John Donne (1573–1631) |
| |
| 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 me new. | |
| I, like an usurpt towne, to’another due, | 5 |
| 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: | 10 |
| 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. | |
|
|
