Addressing a Lady That Desired Me to Show Affection

Given that you granted me leave to love,
What will you act?
Will I your joy, or passion stir,
As I start to pursue;
Shall you trouble, or disdain, or cherish me too?

All trivial grace can disdain, and I
In spite of your hate
Lacking your leave can observe, and perish;
Bestow a nobler Lot!
It is effortless to demolish, you may form.

Thus allow me consent to cherish, & adore me too
Not with purpose
To uplift, as Love's accursed rebels do
While complaining Poets moan,
Acclaim to their grace, from their tearful eyne.

Sadness is a pond and reflects not distinct
One's grace's lights;
Joys are untainted streams, your gaze look
Sullen in sadder songs,
Within happy verses they shine brilliant with acclaim.

That may not refer to express you fayr
Wounds, flames, and shafts,
Gales in your countenance, traps in your hayr,
Bribing all your parts,
Either to deceive, or torment captive affections.

I will make your gaze like sunrise suns seem,
Just as soft, and fayr;
One's countenance as Crystall smooth, and transparent,
Whereas your unkempt hair
Will stream like a calm Area of the Air.

Rich Nature’s store (which is the Writer's Treasure)
I shall expend, to adorn
One's beauties, if your Source of Delight
Through equal appreciation
One but release, so we one another bless.

Exploring the Poem's Ideas

The work explores the interplay of love and acclaim, as the speaker addresses a maiden who requests his devotion. Conversely, he offers a shared agreement of literary admiration for intimate favors. This language is refined, mixing polished traditions with candid expressions of yearning.

In the stanzas, the author rejects usual motifs of unreturned love, like grief and tears, arguing they dim true beauty. He prefers delight and acclaim to showcase the lady's qualities, assuring to portray her eyes as bright suns and her hair as drifting breeze. This method underscores a realistic yet artful perspective on bonds.

Key Aspects of the Composition

  • Shared Agreement: The work centers on a offer of tribute in return for delight, emphasizing balance between the parties.
  • Rejection of Standard Themes: The speaker criticizes common poetic devices like sorrow and metaphors of suffering, choosing upbeat imagery.
  • Poetic Craftsmanship: The employment of mixed verse patterns and rhythm showcases the poet's expertise in verse, producing a graceful and captivating experience.
Abundant The natural world's hoard (which is the Writer's Wealth)
I shall spend, to embellish
Your graces, if your Wellspring of Delight
In equall appreciation
Thou but open, so we mutually grace.

The verse encapsulates the core arrangement, in which the author pledges to utilize his inventive talents to celebrate the lady, as compensation for her willingness. This language combines pious overtones with earthly yearnings, providing profundity to the poem's theme.

Sally Frederick
Sally Frederick

A seasoned journalist with over a decade of experience in international reporting, specializing in European and Middle Eastern affairs.