- 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, blow, 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 dearley 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.
Bunyan uses a similar picture of a usurped town in "The Holy War", which is a surprisingly easy read.
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