holy sonnet #14
(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 lov'ed 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 ever chaste, except you ravish me.
mary marie, listen to me--
{with violent prayers
i kneel in the church
combat-ready:
"o mary,
o mother
bless your daughter
she is beseiged
many men lay claim
to her
tho she meets them like a
soldier
she will fall"
--and yet,
which mary
do i pray to:
the virgin
or the whore?}
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