John Donne's Prayer

I wrote a piece called Why we need the Poets on the Sydney Anglican Website. I'm not sure if it cut the mustard re hits. As my friend Craig once said of one of his pieces:

It [my Blog post] landed with a bit of dull thud. Listen, listen - phhd. That was it. A shame, because I thought I was making a profound point.

I'm hearing you, brother Craig. But today, I'm dipping into Romans 6-8 at the York Street Forum. We are talking about How People Change.

I have never read a prayer that so captured my desire to change than this classic from John Donne:

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,
Labour to'admit you, but Oh, to no end,
Reason your viceroy in mee, mee should defend,
But is captiv'd, and proves weake or untrue.
Yet dearely'I love you,'and would be loved faine,
But am betroth'd unto your enemie:
Divorce mee,'untie, or breake that knot againe;
Take mee to you, imprison mee, for I
Except you'enthrall mee, never shall be free,
Nor ever chast, except you ravish mee.

We need the Poets.

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