Addressing a Lady That Desired Me to Love Her
Now you have freely given me leave to love,
What will you act?
Am I to your delight, or emotion move,
Once I start to woo;
Do you torment, or mock, or love me too?
All trivial grace can disdain, and I
In spite of your hate
Lacking your consent can perceive, and perish;
Dispense a loftier Destiny!
’Tis easy to ruin, you may create.
Then give me consent to cherish, & love me too
Not with intent
To elevate, as Affection's damned defiers act
When puling Versifiers whine,
Renown to their beauty, from their tearful gaze.
Sadness is a pond and shows not distinct
Your beauty’s beams;
Joyes are pure currents, your gaze appear
Sullen in more sorrowful verses,
Through cheerfull lines they radiate luminous with praise.
What will not refer to express you fayr
Harms, blazes, and darts,
Storms in your brow, traps in your hayr,
Corrupting all your parts,
Or else to deceive, or torture trapped hearts.
I shall make your vision like morning orbs appear,
Like soft, and lovely;
Your countenance as crystal even, and pure,
While your unkempt hayr
Will stream like a tranquil Region of the Ayr.
Wealthy The natural world's store (which is the Poet’s Treasure)
I shall expend, to embellish
Your graces, if your Wellspring of Delight
In equall gratitude
One but release, so we each other bless.
Examining the Work's Motifs
The piece explores the dynamics of passion and acclaim, where the speaker addresses a lady who desires his love. Rather, he offers a shared arrangement of literary admiration for intimate delights. This language is refined, blending refined traditions with frank utterances of desire.
In the stanzas, the writer dismisses common tropes of unrequited passion, such as sadness and weeping, arguing they dim true grace. The speaker favors joy and acclaim to emphasize the maiden's features, assuring to depict her vision as bright suns and her hair as drifting air. The method highlights a realistic yet clever outlook on relationships.
Important Aspects of the Composition
- Reciprocal Agreement: The poem centers on a proposal of tribute in exchange for delight, emphasizing balance between the individuals.
- Spurning of Conventional Themes: The poet disparages typical literary devices like sorrow and imagery of pain, choosing upbeat descriptions.
- Artistic Craftsmanship: The use of mixed meter patterns and cadence showcases the author's mastery in verse, forming a graceful and captivating read.
Abundant Nature's store (which is the Bard's Wealth)
I shall expend, to adorn
Thy graces, if your Source of Delight
Through matching appreciation
Thou but unlock, so we each other grace.
This section captures the central bargain, as the poet vows to use his inventive abilities to celebrate the woman, in return for her receptiveness. This phraseology combines devout overtones with worldly longings, giving profundity to the verse's theme.