Addressing a Lady That Wished Me to Love Her
Since you've granted me consent to love,
How will you do?
Am I to your delight, or passion move,
Once I commence court;
Will you trouble, or mock, or cherish me too?
Every minor beauty can disdain, and I
In spite of your dislike
Lacking your consent can observe, and die;
Grant a loftier Destiny!
It's simple to ruin, you may fashion.
Therefore allow me consent to adore, & adore me too
Without intent
To raise, as Affection's cursed defiers do
As complaining Versifiers lament,
Fame to their grace, from their weeping eyes.
Sadness is a puddle and shows not clear
Thy grace's rayes;
Joys are clear currents, your gaze appear
Morose in more sorrowful songs,
In cheerfull lines they radiate luminous with prayse.
That may not allude to describe you lovely
Injuries, fires, and darts,
Tempests in your countenance, nets in your locks,
Suborning all your features,
Or else to deceive, or afflict trapped souls.
I’ll render your eyes like sunrise stars appear,
Just as soft, and fayr;
Thy forehead as crystal polished, and clear,
While your unkempt hayr
Will stream like a serene Region of the Air.
Wealthy Nature’s store (which is the Writer's Wealth)
I will use, to adorn
One's charms, if your Mine of Pleasure
In equal appreciation
You but release, so we each other bless.
Delving into the Work's Ideas
This piece delves the dynamics of passion and admiration, in which the narrator engages with a woman who desires his affection. Conversely, he proposes a mutual agreement of poetic tribute for private delights. The phraseology is elegant, mixing courtly conventions with direct statements of desire.
Within the stanzas, the writer dismisses typical tropes of unreturned affection, such as sadness and lamentation, arguing they cloud true beauty. The speaker prefers joy and acclaim to emphasize the woman's attributes, assuring to depict her gaze as bright stars and her tresses as flowing breeze. This technique emphasizes a practical yet artful perspective on relationships.
Key Elements of the Composition
- Reciprocal Exchange: The verse focuses on a suggestion of admiration in return for pleasure, emphasizing balance between the individuals.
- Spurning of Traditional Motifs: The speaker criticizes usual literary tools like sorrow and imagery of suffering, preferring positive descriptions.
- Creative Craftsmanship: The employment of diverse verse patterns and cadence demonstrates the writer's proficiency in poetry, forming a graceful and engaging text.
Rich The natural world's store (which is the Poet’s Wealth)
I shall use, to dress
Your charms, if your Source of Joy
With equal gratitude
Thou but unlock, so we one another grace.
The stanza summarizes the central deal, in which the poet vows to use his artistic abilities to honor the maiden, in exchange for her receptiveness. The language mixes devout undertones with worldly desires, providing profundity to the verse's message.