It’s been a while since I last posted. Life gets like that sometime. Mostly work changes and pressures. Just life. Anyway that led me to one of my old favorites for comfort that I want to share here. The poet is John Donne, 1572-1631.
Batter my heart, three-person’d God
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.
Husband. Father. Grandfather. Pilot. Pastor. Poet.
4 responses so far ↓
Mark Goodyear // Feb 26, 2008 at 1:11 pm
I love this poem. It’s been awhile since I read it. The ending always strikes me, but this reading I found myself returning to the passage about Reason.
Reason should defend me, but it has been taken captive too. And it can’t hold up in captivity–it reveals itself to be weak and untrue.
I don’t know how I feel about that.
real live preacher // Feb 26, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Such deep thoughts. And the last line. WOW.
Ann V @ Holy Experience // Feb 27, 2008 at 4:03 am
God ravish me.
Please.
Thank you…
Papa Goodyear // Feb 27, 2008 at 4:36 am
I think he’s saying that reason may govern much of my life, but it is not the ultimate governor and, in the end, not only can it not defend, it is defenseless and perhaps indefensible. I think his next line reveals the “more excellent way,” love.
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