For a Lady That Wished I Would Show Affection
Since you've granted me permission to love,
What shall you do?
Shall I your mirth, or ardor arouse,
When I commence pursue;
Do you torment, or scorn, or adore me too?
Each petty charm can reject, and I
Spight of your aversion
Lacking your consent can perceive, and die;
Grant a loftier Fate!
It's simple to demolish, you could create.
Therefore grant me consent to adore, & adore me too
Without intent
To elevate, as Loves accursed defiers behave
When complaining Bards whine,
Acclaim to their beauty, from their tearful eyes.
Sorrow is a puddle and shows not clear
Thy charm's beams;
Joys are untainted streams, your gaze appear
Gloomy in more sorrowful songs,
Within happy verses they radiate luminous with prayse.
Which shall not refer to describe you fair
Harms, flames, and shafts,
Tempests in your countenance, traps in your locks,
Corrupting all your attributes,
Or else to trick, or torment captive souls.
I shall cause your eyes like morning orbs look,
Just as mild, and fair;
Thy forehead as glass even, and transparent,
And your dishevelled hayr
Will flow like a calm Area of the Ayr.
Wealthy Nature's store (which is the Writer's Treasure)
I’l spend, to dress
One's graces, if your Source of Pleasure
In matching thankfulness
One but unlock, so we one another grace.
Examining the Poem's Themes
This work delves the interplay of love and acclaim, in which the narrator speaks to a woman who desires his affection. Rather, he offers a reciprocal arrangement of literary admiration for intimate delights. This phraseology is graceful, combining courtly norms with direct statements of desire.
In the stanzas, the author rejects usual motifs of unreturned love, like sadness and lamentation, stating they obscure true charm. The speaker favors happiness and admiration to highlight the woman's attributes, assuring to render her gaze as bright suns and her locks as drifting breeze. This method highlights a realistic yet clever outlook on bonds.
Key Aspects of the Piece
- Reciprocal Arrangement: The verse centers on a proposal of admiration in return for enjoyment, highlighting parity between the persons.
- Spurning of Traditional Themes: The poet condemns usual literary tools like sadness and metaphors of anguish, favoring positive descriptions.
- Creative Artistry: The use of diverse verse measures and flow demonstrates the writer's proficiency in composition, producing a smooth and captivating text.
Rich Nature’s hoard (which is the Poet’s Wealth)
I shall use, to dress
Thy charms, if your Wellspring of Joy
In equall appreciation
Thou but unlock, so we mutually grace.
This stanza captures the central deal, in which the author promises to use his inventive talents to celebrate the lady, in exchange for her willingness. The language blends devout undertones with physical yearnings, providing complexity to the poem's meaning.