John Donnes Holy Sonnet 14
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"Save me from all those who persecute me / And deliver me / Lest they tear me like a lion." (Psalm 7: 1-2). The persona in John Donne's "Holy Sonnet 14" presents God with almost the same request. The persona desires that God would save the persona from his enemies. Every poetic tool and technique that Donne uses is important to the enhancement of the sonnet's meaning.
The persona asks God to "break, blow, burn, and make [him] new" again. This is a conceit to a metal worker breaking down old, worn out metal in order to create something new. The persona asks God to do the same thing. Using God as his metal worker, the persona hopes that this increased force from "knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend" to "break, blow, burn, and make," will accomplish his goal of salvation. Donne's use of diction such as "break," "batter," and "make" further intensifies the poem's serious tone...