To a Lady Who Requested I Would Love Her
Given that you granted me leave to love,
What shall you act?
Will I your joy, or passion stir,
As I start to woo;
Will you distress, or mock, or adore me too?
Every minor grace can disdain, and I
Spight of your dislike
Absent your consent can observe, and succumb;
Bestow a loftier Lot!
It is effortless to demolish, you may fashion.
Therefore allow me leave to love, & cherish me too
Lacking purpose
To raise, as Affection's accursed rebels act
When puling Versifiers whine,
Renown to their charm, from their tearful gaze.
Grief is a puddle and mirrors not distinct
Thy charm's rayes;
Joyes are pure streames, your eyes seem
Morose in sadder layes,
Through happy numbers they gleam luminous with prayse.
Which will not allude to express you fair
Harms, flames, and shafts,
Gales in your forehead, snares in your locks,
Bribing all your features,
Either to deceive, or torment ensnared souls.
I’ll cause your vision like sunrise suns look,
Just as soft, and lovely;
Thy forehead as crystal polished, and pure,
And your dishevelled hair
Will drift like a serene Region of the Air.
Abundant The natural world's treasury (which is the Writer's Wealth)
I shall use, to adorn
One's beauties, if your Mine of Pleasure
With equall gratitude
One but release, so we mutually favor.
Delving into the Verse's Ideas
The work examines the dynamics of love and praise, as the narrator speaks to a lady who requests his devotion. Conversely, he offers a mutual exchange of poetic praise for intimate pleasures. This language is refined, mixing refined traditions with candid statements of longing.
Within the verses, the writer spurns typical tropes of unreturned affection, such as grief and tears, stating they obscure true beauty. The speaker prefers delight and praise to showcase the woman's features, assuring to render her eyes as radiant stars and her hair as flowing atmosphere. The approach emphasizes a practical yet artful perspective on connections.
Key Elements of the Composition
- Mutual Exchange: The verse centers on a suggestion of admiration in exchange for enjoyment, emphasizing equality between the persons.
- Spurning of Traditional Motifs: The speaker condemns common literary techniques like grief and metaphors of anguish, preferring upbeat imagery.
- Poetic Craftsmanship: The use of varied line lengths and flow displays the author's expertise in verse, forming a fluid and captivating read.
Wealthy Nature's hoard (which is the Bard's Riches)
I shall spend, to dress
Your charms, if your Wellspring of Joy
In matching appreciation
You but open, so we mutually bless.
The stanza encapsulates the central deal, where the writer pledges to utilize his creative talents to celebrate the woman, in return for her willingness. This wording blends pious undertones with earthly longings, adding profundity to the verse's theme.
