Poem · John Donne
Holy Sonnet XIX: Oh, to Vex Me, Contraries Meet in One
“Holy Sonnet XIX: Oh, to Vex Me, Contraries Meet in One” by John Donne: full text of the poem (14 lines, 104 words), sonnet. Public domain.
Oh, to vex me, contraries meet in one:
Inconstancy unnaturally hath begot
A constant habit; that when I would not
I change in vows, and in devotion.
As humorous is my contrition
As my profane love, and as soon forgot:
As riddlingly distempered, cold and hot,
As praying, as mute; as infinite, as none.
I durst not view heaven yesterday; and today
In prayers and flattering speeches I court God:
Tomorrow I quake with true fear of his rod.
So my devout fits come and go away
Like a fantastic ague; save that here
Those are my best days, when I shake with feare.
Typesetting this poem in a book
| Trim (11 pt) | Characters per line | Longest line |
|---|---|---|
| 5 x 8 in | 55 characters | Fits |
| 5.5 x 8.5 in Digest | 62 characters | Fits |
| 6 x 9 in US Trade | 67 characters | Fits |
| 7 x 10 in Executive | 81 characters | Fits |
Poetry should not wrap mid-line; if it must, indent the turnover. See the poetry collection guide.
More poems by John Donne
Sources & data
- Text from PoetryDB (public domain).