For a Lady That Requested Me to Love Her
Given that you freely given me leave to love,
What will you act?
Shall I your mirth, or ardor move,
As I begin to woo;
Do you trouble, or disdain, or adore me too?
All trivial charm can scorn, and I
Spight of your hate
Lacking your consent can see, and die;
Bestow a loftier Destiny!
It is effortless to ruin, you may form.
Thus give me permission to love, & cherish me too
Lacking purpose
To uplift, as Love's damned insurgents act
While whining Poets moan,
Renown to their beauty, from their tearful eyne.
Sorrow is a pond and shows not clear
Your grace's rayes;
Joys are untainted streams, your gaze appear
Morose in gloomier verses,
Through joyful verses they gleam bright with prayse.
Which shall not mention to express you fayr
Injuries, fires, and arrows,
Storms in your countenance, snares in your hair,
Bribing all your parts,
Either to betray, or afflict captive affections.
I’ll make your gaze like morning suns appear,
As soft, and fayr;
One's countenance as crystal even, and clear,
While your tousled hayr
Shall drift like a tranquil Region of the Ayr.
Rich The natural world's store (which is the Writer's Wealth)
I will expend, to dress
Thy beauties, if your Wellspring of Pleasure
In equal appreciation
You but release, so we mutually favor.
Exploring the Work's Themes
This piece examines the relationship of love and admiration, where the speaker engages with a woman who desires his affection. Conversely, he proposes a shared arrangement of poetic admiration for private delights. The phraseology is elegant, combining refined traditions with direct statements of desire.
Through the lines, the writer dismisses usual motifs of unreturned passion, including sorrow and tears, stating they dim true beauty. The speaker prefers delight and acclaim to highlight the lady's features, vowing to depict her vision as bright stars and her locks as drifting breeze. The method underscores a realistic yet skillful perspective on connections.
Key Aspects of the Piece
- Shared Exchange: The poem centers on a suggestion of admiration in trade for pleasure, stressing parity between the individuals.
- Spurning of Conventional Motifs: The poet condemns common literary techniques like sorrow and imagery of pain, preferring positive imagery.
- Creative Artistry: The application of diverse line measures and rhythm displays the author's mastery in verse, creating a graceful and captivating text.
Wealthy The natural world's hoard (which is the Poet’s Treasure)
I will use, to adorn
Your graces, if your Source of Delight
In equall thankfulness
Thou but unlock, so we mutually grace.
This verse captures the essential arrangement, where the poet pledges to use his creative abilities to praise the maiden, as compensation for her openness. The phraseology mixes pious overtones with earthly desires, adding profundity to the work's meaning.