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 captivated, and proves weak or untrue,
Yet dearly I love You, and would be loved 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.
*usurped: to take over or occupy without right.
*viceroy: a person ruling as representative of a sovereign.
*fain: gladly; willingly.
*betrothed: engaged to be married
2 comments:
Kate, this poem has long held its place as one of my favorites.
hey kate, thanks for playing word for word. how on earth did you come across it?
-damien howard
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