“Holy Sonnet XIV” by John Donne describes the desperate want but incredible difficulty of reaching God. Through figurative language such as imagery, alliteration, and simile, the author is able to convey that despite the difficulty, it is possible to be close to God by fully submitting oneself to him. Alliteration is the repetition of the same sound at the beginning of successive words to provide rhythm and emphasis for readers. In line 4, the speaker asks for God to “break, burn, [and] blow” to make him new. The repeating “b” sound and word choice creates a harsh rhythm. This allows readers to get a sense of just how hard it can be to commit to God. The speaker seems to see the process as a somewhat painful and bleak one. In line 5, the
