To a Lady Who Desired Me to Love Her
Given that you bestowed me consent to love,
What will you respond?
Will I your joy, or passion arouse,
Once I begin to pursue;
Shall you torment, or mock, or cherish me too?
Each petty grace can disdain, and I
Despite your hate
Absent your permission can observe, and succumb;
Dispense a grander Fate!
It's simple to ruin, you could fashion.
Then allow me permission to cherish, & love me too
Lacking design
To elevate, as Love's damned insurgents behave
While puling Bards lament,
Acclaim to their beauty, from their weeping eyes.
Grief is a puddle and shows not distinct
Thy charm's beams;
Delights are pure currents, your gaze look
Sullen in gloomier layes,
Through cheerfull lines they gleam brilliant with prayse.
Which may not refer to express you fayr
Injuries, flames, and arrows,
Tempests in your brow, snares in your hair,
Bribing all your features,
Either to deceive, or torment trapped hearts.
I shall make your eyes like morning suns appear,
Like gentle, and lovely;
One's forehead as glass even, and clear,
And your dishevelled hair
May flow like a tranquil Zone of the Ayr.
Wealthy Nature's store (which is the Poet’s Treasure)
I’l use, to dress
One's beauties, if your Wellspring of Delight
With matching thankfulness
You but unlock, so we one another bless.
Examining the Verse's Motifs
This work examines the interplay of love and acclaim, in which the narrator engages with a lady who requests his love. Rather, he proposes a mutual agreement of poetic tribute for intimate delights. This wording is refined, combining refined traditions with direct statements of desire.
Within the stanzas, the writer dismisses typical tropes of unrequited affection, including sorrow and weeping, arguing they cloud true beauty. The speaker favors joy and admiration to emphasize the woman's features, assuring to render her eyes as shining stars and her tresses as flowing air. This method highlights a practical yet clever view on relationships.
Important Components of the Piece
- Shared Exchange: The poem centers on a suggestion of tribute in return for enjoyment, stressing balance between the persons.
- Rejection of Traditional Themes: The speaker disparages usual artistic devices like sorrow and imagery of suffering, preferring upbeat imagery.
- Poetic Artistry: The use of varied verse lengths and flow displays the author's expertise in verse, forming a smooth and captivating experience.
Wealthy The natural world's hoard (which is the Bard's Treasure)
I’l use, to embellish
One's beauties, if your Wellspring of Pleasure
With equal gratitude
Thou but open, so we mutually grace.
The section summarizes the core deal, in which the author pledges to use his inventive talents to celebrate the woman, as compensation for her openness. The phraseology combines spiritual hints with worldly yearnings, adding complexity to the poem's theme.