Batter my heart, three-person'd God
John Donne
1572 to 1631
Track 1
Reconstruct the poem by dragging each line into its correct position. Your goal is to reassemble the original poem as accurately as possible. As you move the lines, you'll see whether your arrangement is correct, helping you explore the poem's flow and meaning. You can also print out the jumbled poem to cut up and reassemble in the classroom. Either way, take your time, enjoy the process, and discover how the poet's words come together to create something truly beautiful.
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Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Yet dearly I love you, and would be lov'd fain,
But am betroth'd unto your enemy;
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend
I, like an usurp'd town to another due,
Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captiv'd, and proves weak or untrue.
Divorce me, untie or break that knot again,
Labor to admit you, but oh, to no end;
Batter my heart, three-person'd God, for you