Lyric Poem · Death & Loss

Holy Sonnet XVI: Father, Part Of His Double Interest

by John Donne

Reading room

1Father, part of his double interest

2Unto thy kingdom, thy Son gives to me,

3His jointure in the knotty Trinity

4He keeps, and gives to me his death's conquest.

5This Lamb, whose death with life the world hath blest,

6Was from the world's beginning slain, and he

7Hath made two Wills which with the Legacy

8Of his and thy kingdom do thy Sons invest.

9Yet such are thy laws that men argue yet

10Whether a man those statutes can fulfil;

11None doth; but all-healing grace and spirit

12Revive again what law and letter kill.

13Thy law's abridgement, and thy last command

14Is all but love; Oh let this last Will stand!

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“Holy Sonnet XVI: Father, Part Of His Double Interest” by John Donne — quilloak.com/poems/holy-sonnet-xvi-father-part-of-his-double-interest

Quick facts

Poem: Holy Sonnet XVI: Father, Part Of His Double Interest
Poet: John Donne
Length: 14 lines
Form: Lyric Poem
Themes: Death & Loss, Love, Peace

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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 XVI: Father, Part Of His Double Interest 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 030808c38d073532…
Editorial handling: Whitespace and stanza breaks normalized for web display; no material wording change recorded.

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Lyric Poem Death & Loss Love Peace

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