Lyric Poem · Peace

Holy Sonnet XIII: What If This Present Were The World's Last Night?

by John Donne

Reading room

1What if this present were the world's last night?

2Mark in my heart, O soul, where thou dost dwell,

3The picture of Christ crucified, and tell

4Whether that countenance can thee affright,

5Tears in his eyes quench the amazing light,

6Blood fills his frowns, which from his pierced head fell.

7And can that tongue adjudge thee unto hell,

8Which prayed forgiveness for his foes' fierce spite?

9No, no; but as in my idolatry

10I said to all my profane mistresses,

11Beauty, of pity, foulness only is

12A sign of rigour: so I say to thee,

13To wicked spirits are horrid shapes assigned,

14This beauteous form assures a piteous mind.

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Quick facts

Poem: Holy Sonnet XIII: What If This Present Were The World's Last Night?
Poet: John Donne
Length: 14 lines
Form: Lyric Poem
Themes: Peace, Love, Sad

Craft notes

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Shape: 14 lines · one 14-line stanza
Line length: Mostly 10-syllable lines (pentameter length).

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Author record: John Donne1572–1631
Source record: PoetryDBHoly Sonnet XIII: What If This Present Were The World's Last Night? 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 71955b8c7d63aa09…
Editorial handling: Whitespace and stanza breaks normalized for web display; no material wording change recorded.

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Lyric Poem Peace Love Sad

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