Saturday, November 10, 2007

donne

I was thinking of this poem earlier.
It's a favorite.
I think this is the first poem that I ever really liked, making me decide that I liked poetry.

Batter my heart, three-person'd 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 usurp'd town to another due,
Labor to admit you, but oh, to no end;
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captiv'd, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be lov'd fain,
But am betroth'd 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.

John Donne

3 comments:

The Wayward Budgeter said...

Kate, this is one of my most beloved poems, as well. Thanks for posting it.

Carol said...

I love this one too. I think I'll always think about Dr. Ryken's brit lit class whenever I read it. This is a good thing.

Anonymous said...

My absolute favorite poem - quite possibly the reason I became an English major in college. ekw