Lyric Poem · Sad

Holy Sonnet III: O Might Those Sighs And Tears Return Again

by John Donne

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1O might those sighs and tears return again

2Into my breast and eyes, which I have spent,

3That I might in this holy discontent

4Mourn with some fruit, as I have mourned in vain;

5In mine Idolatry what showers of rain

6Mine eyes did waste! what griefs my heart did rent!

7That sufferance was my sin; now I repent;

8'Cause I did suffer I must suffer pain.

9Th' hydropic drunkard, and night-scouting thief,

10The itchy lecher, and self-tickling proud

11Have the remembrance of past joys for relief

12Of comming ills. To (poor) me is allowed

13No ease; for long, yet vehement grief hath been

14Th' effect and cause, the punishment and sin.

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“Holy Sonnet III: O Might Those Sighs And Tears Return Again” by John Donne — quilloak.com/poems/holy-sonnet-iii-o-might-those-sighs-and-tears-return-again

Quick facts

Poem: Holy Sonnet III: O Might Those Sighs And Tears Return Again
Poet: John Donne
Length: 14 lines
Form: Lyric Poem
Themes: Sad, Peace, Love

Craft notes

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Measured from the text on this page, not copied from a summary. Counts are approximate: syllables and rhymes come from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary, which models General American English, so dialect, older pronunciation, and performance can all change what you hear.

Shape: 14 lines · one 14-line stanza
Line length: Lines run 10-11 syllables (median 10), consistent with pentameter. No single length dominates, which is normal once elision and contraction are in play.

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Text, source & rights

A traceable edition

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Author record: John Donne1572–1631
Source record: PoetryDBHoly Sonnet III: O Might Those Sighs And Tears Return Again by john-donne, PoetryDB transcription
Display decision: Full text · United States · reviewed 2026-07-18
Publication record: Not recorded in the imported source
Text fingerprint: SHA-256 620f4f68db84384a…
Editorial handling: Whitespace and stanza breaks normalized for web display; no material wording change recorded.

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Lyric Poem Sad Peace Love

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