To a Lady Who Wished I Would Love Her
Now you have granted me permission to love,
What will you do?
Shall I your delight, or emotion stir,
When I start to court;
Do you torment, or scorn, or cherish me too?
Each petty beauty can disdain, and I
Despite your dislike
Without your leave can perceive, and perish;
Grant a grander Lot!
It is effortless to destroy, you can fashion.
Then give me leave to cherish, & love me too
Without purpose
To uplift, as Affection's damned insurgents behave
When whining Bards lament,
Renown to their charm, from their blubber’d eyne.
Sorrow is a pond and mirrors not bright
Your grace's beams;
Joys are pure streames, your eyes seem
Gloomy in gloomier songs,
In happy numbers they shine bright with prayse.
Which may not allude to portray you fayr
Injuries, fires, and arrows,
Gales in your brow, nets in your locks,
Suborning all your attributes,
Either to deceive, or torment trapped hearts.
I’ll render your vision like sunrise suns look,
As soft, and fair;
Thy countenance as Crystall polished, and transparent,
And your dishevelled locks
Shall stream like a calm Area of the Air.
Rich The natural world's store (which is the Bard's Wealth)
I’l use, to embellish
One's beauties, if your Source of Pleasure
In equal gratitude
You but open, so we one another grace.
Examining the Verse's Ideas
This work examines the interplay of passion and acclaim, as the speaker addresses a maiden who desires his affection. Conversely, he proposes a mutual exchange of poetic admiration for intimate favors. This language is refined, mixing refined traditions with frank statements of longing.
In the stanzas, the writer rejects common motifs of one-sided love, like sorrow and lamentation, claiming they obscure true beauty. The speaker prefers happiness and praise to highlight the lady's qualities, promising to portray her gaze as bright orbs and her tresses as drifting air. The method highlights a practical yet artful perspective on bonds.
Key Components of the Composition
- Shared Exchange: The poem focuses on a offer of admiration in exchange for pleasure, emphasizing balance between the persons.
- Spurning of Traditional Ideas: The poet disparages usual poetic devices like grief and metaphors of anguish, choosing positive descriptions.
- Artistic Skill: The employment of mixed line measures and rhythm demonstrates the writer's mastery in poetry, producing a fluid and captivating read.
Wealthy The natural world's store (which is the Writer's Treasure)
I will spend, to embellish
Thy graces, if your Wellspring of Pleasure
Through matching gratitude
You but open, so we each other favor.
The verse encapsulates the essential deal, where the poet vows to employ his creative abilities to honor the woman, in return for her willingness. The wording mixes devout hints with worldly desires, adding profundity to the poem's theme.