For a Lady That Wished Me to Show Affection

Now you have bestowed me consent to love,
What will you respond?
Will I your joy, or ardor arouse,
As I commence court;
Shall you trouble, or scorn, or love me too?

Every minor charm can reject, and I
Spight of your aversion
Absent your permission can perceive, and succumb;
Grant a loftier Fate!
It's simple to ruin, you can create.

Then give me permission to love, & cherish me too
Not with purpose
To uplift, as Loves accursed insurgents behave
When complaining Versifiers lament,
Renown to their beauty, from their blubber’d eyne.

Sadness is a pond and mirrors not distinct
One's grace's lights;
Delights are clear streams, your gaze seem
Morose in more sorrowful layes,
In cheerfull verses they gleam bright with prayse.

That will not mention to express you fair
Harms, fires, and darts,
Gales in your countenance, nets in your hayr,
Suborning all your parts,
Or else to betray, or afflict captive hearts.

I shall cause your gaze like sunrise suns seem,
Just as mild, and fair;
Thy brow as crystal smooth, and pure,
While your dishevelled hayr
Shall drift like a tranquil Zone of the Air.

Wealthy The natural world's store (which is the Writer's Treasure)
I’l spend, to dress
Your graces, if your Source of Joy
In equall appreciation
You but open, so we mutually grace.

Delving into the Poem's Ideas

The work delves the relationship of affection and praise, where the speaker speaks to a lady who desires his affection. Instead, he proposes a reciprocal agreement of poetic praise for personal delights. This phraseology is elegant, mixing courtly traditions with frank utterances of longing.

In the lines, the poet rejects typical tropes of unrequited passion, including grief and tears, stating they dim true beauty. He prefers joy and admiration to showcase the woman's attributes, vowing to depict her gaze as shining suns and her tresses as drifting air. The approach highlights a pragmatic yet skillful view on relationships.

Key Components of the Work

  • Reciprocal Arrangement: The work centers on a suggestion of praise in trade for pleasure, emphasizing balance between the individuals.
  • Dismissal of Traditional Ideas: The speaker disparages usual literary techniques like sorrow and metaphors of pain, choosing upbeat depictions.
  • Artistic Craftsmanship: The employment of mixed meter measures and cadence demonstrates the writer's mastery in poetry, producing a graceful and compelling read.
Wealthy Nature's store (which is the Writer's Riches)
I’l spend, to adorn
One's charms, if your Wellspring of Delight
In matching thankfulness
Thou but release, so we mutually favor.

This verse summarizes the core bargain, in which the writer pledges to utilize his artistic abilities to praise the lady, as compensation for her openness. The language mixes spiritual overtones with worldly desires, adding complexity to the poem's meaning.

Nicole Morris
Nicole Morris

A tech enthusiast and writer passionate about sharing insights on innovation and self-improvement.