For a Lady That Requested Me to Love Her
Given that you bestowed me consent to love,
What shall you do?
Will I your mirth, or emotion stir,
Once I commence pursue;
Do you trouble, or disdain, or love me too?
Every minor charm can reject, and I
In spite of your hate
Absent your permission can perceive, and succumb;
Grant a loftier Fate!
It is effortless to demolish, you could fashion.
Then give me leave to cherish, & cherish me too
Lacking intent
To uplift, as Affection's damned rebels act
While whining Bards whine,
Acclaim to their grace, from their tearful eyes.
Sadness is a pool and shows not bright
One's grace's lights;
Delights are clear currents, your vision appear
Gloomy in sadder songs,
Through happy lines they gleam bright with praise.
That shall not mention to describe you fayr
Harms, flames, and darts,
Storms in your countenance, nets in your hayr,
Bribing all your attributes,
Either to betray, or torture trapped souls.
I shall cause your gaze like dawn stars look,
Like gentle, and fair;
Your forehead as crystal polished, and pure,
Whereas your dishevelled hair
May stream like a tranquil Region of the Atmosphere.
Abundant Nature’s store (which is the Poet’s Wealth)
I will expend, to dress
Thy graces, if your Wellspring of Joy
In equal gratitude
You but release, so we mutually favor.
Delving into the Verse's Themes
The work explores the relationship of passion and admiration, as the speaker speaks to a woman who desires his affection. Instead, he suggests a mutual agreement of literary admiration for intimate pleasures. The wording is refined, blending courtly traditions with direct expressions of yearning.
Within the lines, the poet dismisses typical motifs of unreturned passion, including grief and weeping, claiming they dim true beauty. He chooses joy and admiration to highlight the lady's attributes, vowing to portray her vision as bright orbs and her hair as drifting atmosphere. This approach underscores a realistic yet clever outlook on bonds.
Important Aspects of the Piece
- Reciprocal Exchange: The verse focuses on a proposal of admiration in return for delight, emphasizing parity between the persons.
- Dismissal of Standard Themes: The speaker condemns common literary devices like sorrow and similes of anguish, choosing upbeat imagery.
- Creative Skill: The employment of mixed meter patterns and flow displays the poet's proficiency in poetry, producing a smooth and captivating text.
Rich Nature's hoard (which is the Bard's Riches)
I shall use, to dress
One's graces, if your Mine of Joy
With matching thankfulness
You but unlock, so we one another favor.
The section captures the essential bargain, in which the author promises to employ his artistic gifts to celebrate the woman, as compensation for her receptiveness. The phraseology blends pious undertones with earthly desires, giving complexity to the work's meaning.