Donne uses a number of complicated metaphors. My notes tend to give the literal meanings of the words he uses, but he is almost certainly drawing on other more figurative meanings as well.
The copy-text is the first edition of 1633. Spelling, capitalization, and punctuation are preserved. The notes are my own.
| Batter my heart, three person’d God; for, you | |
| As yet but knocke, breathe, shine, and seeke to mend; | |
| That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow mee, ’and bend | |
| Your force, to breake, blowe, burn and make me new. | |
| I, like an usurpt° towne, to’ another due, [5] | conquered |
| Labour to’ admit you, but Oh, to no end, | |
| Reason your viceroy° in mee, mee should defend, | governor acting on a ruler’s authority |
| But is captiv’d, and proves weake or untrue, | |
| Yet dearely’ I love you’, and would be lov’d faine,° | willingly |
| But am betroth’d unto your enemie, [10] | |
| Divorce mee, ’untie, or breake that knot againe, | |
| Take mee to you, imprison mee, for I | |
| Except° you ’enthrall° mee, never shall be free, | unless — enslave |
| Nor ever chast,° except° you ravish mee. | sexually pure — unless |