Addressing a Lady Who Desired I Would Show Affection
Since you've bestowed me consent to love,
How will you respond?
Shall I your delight, or ardor arouse,
Once I start to pursue;
Do you trouble, or scorn, or adore me too?
Each petty charm can scorn, and I
Spight of your hate
Absent your leave can see, and perish;
Bestow a loftier Destiny!
It's simple to demolish, you can fashion.
Therefore give me consent to adore, & cherish me too
Lacking purpose
To raise, as Loves accursed rebels act
When complaining Poets moan,
Fame to their grace, from their blubber’d gaze.
Grief is a puddle and mirrors not distinct
Your grace's beams;
Joyes are pure streams, your vision appear
Morose in sadder verses,
Through joyful numbers they gleam brilliant with acclaim.
That shall not allude to describe you fair
Injuries, fires, and darts,
Tempests in your brow, traps in your hair,
Bribing all your parts,
Either to betray, or afflict captive hearts.
I’ll make your gaze like dawn orbs appear,
As gentle, and fayr;
Thy brow as glass even, and pure,
And your dishevelled hair
May stream like a serene Region of the Air.
Abundant The natural world's store (which is the Bard's Wealth)
I shall expend, to adorn
One's beauties, if your Mine of Delight
With matching gratitude
You but unlock, so we one another grace.
Examining the Verse's Ideas
This composition explores the dynamics of affection and admiration, in which the speaker speaks to a lady who seeks his love. Conversely, he suggests a reciprocal agreement of poetic admiration for intimate delights. The language is refined, blending courtly norms with candid utterances of desire.
Through the lines, the poet dismisses typical tropes of one-sided love, like sorrow and tears, arguing they obscure true beauty. The speaker chooses delight and acclaim to showcase the maiden's features, vowing to render her gaze as bright orbs and her hair as drifting air. The method emphasizes a realistic yet clever perspective on relationships.
Key Aspects of the Piece
- Shared Agreement: The poem focuses on a proposal of admiration in trade for enjoyment, highlighting parity between the persons.
- Spurning of Traditional Ideas: The speaker disparages typical artistic techniques like sadness and imagery of pain, favoring upbeat imagery.
- Creative Craftsmanship: The use of diverse line lengths and cadence displays the writer's mastery in composition, creating a graceful and compelling read.
Wealthy The natural world's hoard (which is the Bard's Wealth)
I’l use, to adorn
Thy graces, if your Mine of Delight
In equall appreciation
Thou but unlock, so we mutually favor.
This verse captures the core arrangement, as the poet promises to utilize his artistic abilities to praise the woman, as compensation for her openness. The wording blends devout hints with earthly desires, giving profundity to the verse's meaning.