John Donne: Poems

What does the poet exhort God to do (line1-4)?

Sonnet 14 by john donne

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The poet begins by asking God to increase the strength of divine force to win over the poet’s soul. He requests, “Batter my heart” (line 1), metaphorically indicating that he wants God to use force to assault his heart, like battering down a door. Thus far, God has only knocked, following the scriptural idea that God knocks and each person must let him in, yet this has not worked sufficiently for the poet. Simply to “mend” or “shine” him up is not drastic enough; instead God should take him by “force, to break, blow, burn” in order to help him “stand” and be made “new” (lines 3-4).

Source(s)

Sonnet 14