To a Lady That Desired Me to Show Affection
Since you've freely given me leave to love,
What will you do?
Shall I your mirth, or ardor stir,
Once I begin to court;
Do you torment, or disdain, or adore me too?
All trivial charm can scorn, and I
Despite your aversion
Without your consent can perceive, and die;
Grant a nobler Fate!
It's simple to destroy, you could form.
Therefore allow me consent to adore, & adore me too
Not with design
To raise, as Affection's accursed rebels behave
When whining Versifiers lament,
Fame to their charm, from their blubber’d eyne.
Sadness is a pool and shows not clear
One's charm's rayes;
Delights are pure streames, your vision appear
Gloomy in gloomier songs,
Through cheerfull verses they shine luminous with prayse.
What shall not refer to express you lovely
Injuries, fires, and shafts,
Tempests in your forehead, snares in your hayr,
Bribing all your attributes,
Either to betray, or torture trapped hearts.
I will make your vision like dawn suns look,
Like soft, and fayr;
Your forehead as crystal smooth, and transparent,
Whereas your dishevelled hayr
Will flow like a tranquil Area of the Ayr.
Wealthy Nature's store (which is the Bard's Riches)
I will use, to adorn
One's graces, if your Mine of Joy
In equal gratitude
You but open, so we one another favor.
Examining the Poem's Ideas
This composition delves the interplay of passion and admiration, in which the narrator engages with a woman who desires his devotion. Instead, he suggests a reciprocal arrangement of artistic admiration for intimate pleasures. The phraseology is elegant, blending polished conventions with candid statements of desire.
Through the stanzas, the author dismisses typical themes of unrequited love, such as sadness and weeping, claiming they obscure true charm. The speaker prefers joy and acclaim to emphasize the lady's features, promising to portray her vision as radiant suns and her tresses as streaming breeze. The method underscores a pragmatic yet skillful outlook on bonds.
Key Aspects of the Work
- Mutual Exchange: The verse centers on a offer of praise in trade for pleasure, highlighting equality between the parties.
- Rejection of Standard Themes: The poet condemns common poetic devices like sorrow and similes of suffering, choosing positive depictions.
- Artistic Artistry: The application of mixed verse patterns and rhythm displays the writer's mastery in verse, creating a smooth and captivating text.
Abundant The natural world's treasury (which is the Bard's Riches)
I will expend, to dress
Your beauties, if your Mine of Joy
With matching gratitude
You but release, so we mutually bless.
This verse encapsulates the core bargain, as the poet vows to employ his inventive gifts to honor the lady, in exchange for her willingness. This phraseology blends pious hints with worldly yearnings, giving depth to the poem's meaning.