Holy Sonnet 7 was written in London, England sometime in the late 1590's to early 1600's, the exact date it was penned remains a mystery. Its publication, dated 1633, reveals it posthumously, so information regarding Donne's works can only be found in records which vary and even contrast at times. On it's way to becoming the biggest city in Europe, London's population was booming. "During this period, the city was the center of a tremendous expansion in trade, colonization, and finance." "London was also the center of the English cultural Renaissance, par

'Tis late to ask abundance of Thy grace,

This topical/historical analysis of John Donne's Holy Sonnet 7: At the Round Earth's Imagined Corners looks at: when and where it was produced, the culture of the region in which it was produced, the major circumstances that produced it, the major issues it deals with and how it fits into Donne's career. Though I've never been a "poet", I feel I can relate to Donne's Holy Sonnet 7. Raised in a strict Pentecostal family, my faith in God is strongly grounded. As I got older however, my need for personal restraints lessened and the many "rules" attached to the Pentecostal religion became overwhelmingly restrictive. I struggled for a time with letting go of the fear that had held me for so long, all the while feeling like a sinner doomed to hell. I did let go however, and proceeded to move on with my life. Still, from time to time, that nagging conscious embedded deep in my memory jumps out at me reminding me to pray and repent "for that's as good / As if Thou hadst sealed my pardon with Thy blood". In this time of turbulence and confusion when terrorism is at our back door, we all need to remember, that whatever your religion, now is the time to get yourself right and be ready for eternity. "No man knows what tomorrow may hold" (Unknown).

This "powerful poem" responds "directly to the Pauline injunction to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Benet, 26). With a keen understanding of the after life, Donne reminds readers of the great powe

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Approximate Word count = 1015
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)