Holy Sonnets: Batter my heart, three-person'd God - John Donne

So often God speaks to me through songs, poems, or stories. Sitting with these beautiful words can be a kind of prayer exercise as I talk to God about the emotions they spark in me.

John Donne’s poem, Batter my heart... is a poem that has arrested my attention since I first read it. With its graphic imagery, Donne declares our feeble human wills are so weak and broken that we are in utter need of rescue, both from our enemy and ourselves.

I invite you to read the poem, imagine yourself in the richness of the poetic language, and see what God reveals to you about your humanity and His love.

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.

Soul/Contemplative Questions:

  1. This poem contains a lot of language about warfare, siege, and conquest in regards to the heart. Feel free to take some time to look up words that may not be familiar or even create your own paraphrase of the poem.

  2. Why do you imagine the author chose this warfare language to describe his heart and its orientation toward God? How do you see your heart and God’s relationship to it? 

  3. What do you think the line, Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend/But is captiv'd, and proves weak or untrue means? Does this resonate with you too? How would you describe your “reason” as it relates to God?

  4. What do you think the last paragraph of the poem means? How do you think the poet sees his dependency on God in terms of a meaningful relationship? What is your dependency on God in your relationship with him? Consider sitting with this question with Him in several minutes of silence and see what He may reveal to you.

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That Little Beast - Mary Oliver