For a Lady Who Desired Me to Love Her
Given that you bestowed me permission to love,
What will you act?
Will I your mirth, or emotion stir,
As I commence court;
Shall you torment, or scorn, or love me too?
Every minor grace can reject, and I
Spight of your hate
Absent your permission can observe, and succumb;
Dispense a loftier Fate!
It's simple to ruin, you can form.
Then allow me permission to love, & love me too
Without design
To uplift, as Love's accursed rebels behave
While puling Bards whine,
Renown to their charm, from their tearful eyes.
Sadness is a puddle and mirrors not bright
Thy charm's beams;
Joys are clear streams, your eyes seem
Gloomy in sadder verses,
In happy verses they gleam bright with prayse.
What may not allude to portray you lovely
Injuries, blazes, and darts,
Storms in your brow, snares in your hair,
Bribing all your features,
Either to betray, or torment ensnared souls.
I’ll cause your gaze like morning suns look,
Like gentle, and fair;
One's forehead as glass smooth, and transparent,
Whereas your dishevelled hayr
Will flow like a serene Zone of the Ayr.
Wealthy Nature’s store (which is the Poet’s Treasure)
I’l use, to adorn
One's beauties, if your Source of Pleasure
With equal gratitude
You but unlock, so we one another grace.
Exploring the Poem's Ideas
The composition delves the relationship of affection and acclaim, in which the speaker speaks to a maiden who seeks his devotion. Instead, he suggests a reciprocal exchange of poetic admiration for intimate pleasures. The language is refined, blending refined norms with direct statements of yearning.
In the verses, the author spurns common themes of unrequited affection, including grief and lamentation, claiming they obscure true grace. He chooses happiness and acclaim to emphasize the woman's qualities, vowing to depict her vision as radiant orbs and her hair as flowing atmosphere. The technique emphasizes a pragmatic yet clever view on connections.
Important Aspects of the Piece
- Reciprocal Agreement: The verse focuses on a proposal of praise in trade for delight, stressing parity between the parties.
- Rejection of Traditional Motifs: The speaker disparages common poetic tools like grief and metaphors of anguish, choosing upbeat depictions.
- Creative Skill: The application of mixed line lengths and flow demonstrates the writer's proficiency in poetry, forming a smooth and captivating read.
Rich The natural world's hoard (which is the Bard's Wealth)
I will use, to dress
One's charms, if your Wellspring of Joy
With equall appreciation
One but unlock, so we each other bless.
The section encapsulates the central deal, where the writer pledges to employ his creative talents to honor the lady, in exchange for her willingness. The phraseology combines pious overtones with worldly yearnings, providing profundity to the poem's theme.