Holy Sonnet 14 is one of
John Donne's series of Holy Sonnets. No one is sure when he wrote them, but some guess it's around 1618. Holy Sonnet 14 is one of his most famous and often-studied poems. In fact, if you only read one of Donne's poems, this is probably the place to go, since it's got a clever extended metaphor (a "metaphysical conceit" if you want the fancy term), and it covers the major recurrent theme in Donne's poetry – a possibly conflicting passion for both carnal and divine love.
Donne wrote this poem at an important time in his life, as he was just ordained in the Church of England. Donne has an interesting relationship with religion. He was born a Roman Catholic, and being Roman Catholic in late 16th century England guaranteed persecution. As a young man, Donne didn't seem particularly interested in religion, but he soon realized that the path to a successful life could be found in the
Church of England. As he became more involved in the Church, he became considerably more focused on his own spirituality and relationship with God. If you're inclined to read the poem biographically, Holy Sonnet 14 represents the peak of Donne's conflict between secular and religious lives, and his efforts to reconcile his newfound sacred love with the more familiar, earthly variety.
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