To a Lady That Requested Me to Show Affection
Since you've granted me leave to love,
What shall you do?
Am I to your joy, or emotion move,
Once I start to court;
Do you distress, or scorn, or cherish me too?
All trivial charm can disdain, and I
In spite of your dislike
Lacking your permission can see, and succumb;
Dispense a loftier Destiny!
’Tis easy to destroy, you may form.
Thus give me consent to love, & cherish me too
Not with intent
To elevate, as Affection's damned rebels act
When puling Bards whine,
Renown to their grace, from their blubber’d gaze.
Grief is a pool and mirrors not clear
Your charm's lights;
Delights are untainted streams, your vision look
Sullen in gloomier songs,
In joyful lines they shine bright with prayse.
Which may not allude to express you lovely
Harms, blazes, and shafts,
Tempests in your countenance, nets in your hayr,
Bribing all your attributes,
Or to trick, or torment trapped affections.
I’ll cause your gaze like sunrise stars look,
As mild, and fayr;
Thy forehead as crystal even, and pure,
While your unkempt hayr
Shall stream like a calm Zone of the Atmosphere.
Rich Nature's store (which is the Poet’s Riches)
I shall use, to dress
Thy graces, if your Source of Pleasure
In equal thankfulness
Thou but release, so we one another grace.
Delving into the Work's Themes
This composition delves the relationship of affection and acclaim, as the narrator engages with a lady who seeks his love. Rather, he offers a shared agreement of artistic admiration for personal pleasures. The language is elegant, blending courtly traditions with candid utterances of desire.
Within the verses, the poet rejects usual themes of one-sided love, like sorrow and tears, claiming they cloud true grace. The speaker favors delight and admiration to emphasize the lady's features, promising to portray her eyes as radiant orbs and her tresses as drifting air. The technique highlights a practical yet skillful perspective on connections.
Important Aspects of the Composition
- Shared Agreement: The poem centers on a suggestion of admiration in return for pleasure, stressing parity between the parties.
- Dismissal of Conventional Themes: The speaker criticizes usual poetic devices like sorrow and metaphors of anguish, preferring upbeat depictions.
- Poetic Artistry: The application of diverse line lengths and cadence displays the author's proficiency in poetry, producing a smooth and captivating read.
Rich The natural world's hoard (which is the Poet’s Riches)
I shall use, to adorn
Thy charms, if your Mine of Pleasure
With matching appreciation
Thou but open, so we mutually favor.
This verse encapsulates the central deal, where the author pledges to use his inventive talents to praise the woman, as compensation for her openness. The wording mixes devout overtones with earthly longings, giving depth to the verse's theme.