Addressing a Lady That Desired I Would Show Affection
Given that you bestowed me consent to love,
What will you do?
Am I to your joy, or ardor arouse,
Once I commence court;
Shall you trouble, or mock, or adore me too?
Every minor grace can scorn, and I
Despite your hate
Absent your consent can perceive, and perish;
Bestow a nobler Destiny!
It is effortless to ruin, you may create.
Thus allow me consent to cherish, & love me too
Lacking design
To raise, as Love's cursed defiers do
While whining Poets whine,
Renown to their grace, from their weeping eyes.
Sadness is a pool and reflects not distinct
One's grace's lights;
Joyes are untainted streams, your vision seem
Morose in gloomier verses,
Through cheerfull numbers they shine bright with acclaim.
What may not refer to portray you fayr
Injuries, blazes, and arrows,
Tempests in your brow, snares in your hayr,
Suborning all your parts,
Or to deceive, or afflict captive affections.
I will make your gaze like morning orbs seem,
As mild, and fayr;
Thy brow as crystal polished, and clear,
And your unkempt hair
Shall stream like a calm Zone of the Ayr.
Rich Nature’s hoard (which is the Poet’s Wealth)
I shall use, to dress
Thy graces, if your Mine of Pleasure
Through equal thankfulness
You but open, so we one another bless.
Exploring the Verse's Ideas
This piece delves the interplay of affection and acclaim, in which the narrator addresses a lady who requests his devotion. Rather, he proposes a shared arrangement of artistic tribute for private delights. This wording is elegant, mixing refined traditions with candid utterances of yearning.
Within the stanzas, the poet dismisses usual motifs of unrequited passion, such as sadness and tears, arguing they cloud true grace. The speaker prefers delight and praise to emphasize the woman's attributes, promising to portray her eyes as bright stars and her tresses as streaming atmosphere. The technique emphasizes a realistic yet clever perspective on relationships.
Key Aspects of the Piece
- Mutual Exchange: The work revolves on a suggestion of admiration in exchange for delight, emphasizing equality between the individuals.
- Dismissal of Traditional Ideas: The narrator criticizes usual literary devices like grief and metaphors of suffering, favoring positive descriptions.
- Poetic Skill: The application of varied verse measures and cadence displays the poet's expertise in composition, producing a fluid and captivating read.
Rich The natural world's hoard (which is the Poet’s Riches)
I will spend, to dress
Thy graces, if your Wellspring of Delight
Through matching gratitude
Thou but unlock, so we one another favor.
The section captures the essential arrangement, as the author vows to use his creative abilities to celebrate the maiden, in exchange for her willingness. This language mixes pious overtones with worldly longings, providing depth to the poem's meaning.