Addressing a Lady That Requested I Would Show Affection
Given that you granted me permission to love,
What shall you respond?
Am I to your joy, or emotion move,
Once I start to pursue;
Will you trouble, or mock, or adore me too?
Each petty grace can scorn, and I
Despite your hate
Lacking your consent can see, and die;
Grant a nobler Fate!
’Tis easy to demolish, you may fashion.
Thus give me leave to adore, & love me too
Not with purpose
To raise, as Loves damned defiers act
While puling Bards whine,
Renown to their beauty, from their blubber’d eyes.
Sorrow is a puddle and shows not clear
One's charm's lights;
Joys are untainted streames, your gaze seem
Morose in more sorrowful songs,
In joyful lines they shine bright with acclaim.
Which may not mention to describe you fair
Wounds, flames, and arrows,
Storms in your countenance, nets in your locks,
Bribing all your features,
Or to trick, or torment ensnared hearts.
I will cause your vision like dawn suns appear,
Just as mild, and fair;
Your forehead as glass smooth, and transparent,
While your dishevelled locks
Shall drift like a tranquil Zone of the Air.
Rich Nature's treasury (which is the Bard's Wealth)
I will expend, to dress
One's graces, if your Wellspring of Joy
With equall thankfulness
Thou but open, so we mutually bless.
Examining the Verse's Themes
The composition delves the relationship of love and admiration, in which the speaker speaks to a lady who seeks his affection. Conversely, he proposes a shared arrangement of poetic admiration for intimate favors. The phraseology is graceful, blending courtly traditions with candid expressions of yearning.
In the lines, the poet dismisses common themes of unrequited passion, including grief and tears, stating they obscure true beauty. The speaker chooses happiness and acclaim to emphasize the woman's qualities, promising to depict her vision as bright orbs and her hair as drifting atmosphere. This technique highlights a pragmatic yet clever outlook on connections.
Key Aspects of the Piece
- Shared Agreement: The poem revolves on a proposal of admiration in return for enjoyment, highlighting equality between the persons.
- Rejection of Traditional Motifs: The narrator criticizes typical artistic tools like sorrow and metaphors of anguish, preferring positive depictions.
- Poetic Skill: The employment of mixed verse measures and rhythm displays the poet's mastery in poetry, forming a smooth and engaging text.
Wealthy Nature's store (which is the Poet’s Wealth)
I shall spend, to embellish
One's charms, if your Mine of Joy
In equall appreciation
You but release, so we each other grace.
The section summarizes the central arrangement, in which the poet vows to use his creative talents to praise the lady, in exchange for her willingness. The phraseology combines spiritual undertones with physical desires, adding profundity to the poem's message.
