Addressing a Lady That Wished Me to Show Affection
Given that you freely given me consent to love,
What shall you respond?
Am I to your delight, or emotion move,
As I commence woo;
Do you distress, or disdain, or cherish me too?
Every minor grace can scorn, and I
Despite your dislike
Without your leave can see, and succumb;
Dispense a loftier Lot!
It is effortless to demolish, you can create.
Thus allow me consent to love, & adore me too
Not with design
To raise, as Love's cursed defiers do
When whining Versifiers whine,
Acclaim to their grace, from their blubber’d eyes.
Grief is a puddle and reflects not clear
Your grace's rayes;
Joys are untainted currents, your eyes seem
Morose in gloomier songs,
In cheerfull numbers they gleam bright with prayse.
That will not allude to portray you fair
Harms, blazes, and darts,
Gales in your countenance, nets in your hayr,
Bribing all your attributes,
Or else to deceive, or afflict trapped hearts.
I’ll cause your vision like morning suns appear,
Just as gentle, and lovely;
One's brow as glass polished, and pure,
While your tousled hayr
Will flow like a serene Area of the Air.
Abundant Nature’s treasury (which is the Bard's Wealth)
I’l spend, to adorn
One's beauties, if your Mine of Delight
With equal thankfulness
Thou but unlock, so we each other favor.
Exploring the Verse's Motifs
This work explores the dynamics of love and acclaim, where the narrator speaks to a maiden who seeks his devotion. Instead, he offers a reciprocal arrangement of poetic tribute for personal delights. The phraseology is graceful, combining refined conventions with frank utterances of longing.
Within the stanzas, the writer spurns typical tropes of unrequited love, such as grief and tears, stating they dim true beauty. The speaker favors joy and praise to showcase the woman's attributes, promising to portray her gaze as radiant orbs and her locks as flowing atmosphere. The technique highlights a pragmatic yet artful perspective on relationships.
Key Elements of the Piece
- Mutual Agreement: The work focuses on a offer of praise in exchange for pleasure, emphasizing equality between the individuals.
- Dismissal of Standard Ideas: The narrator criticizes common poetic techniques like sadness and imagery of pain, preferring positive depictions.
- Poetic Artistry: The application of mixed meter measures and rhythm showcases the author's expertise in verse, producing a fluid and compelling text.
Abundant The natural world's hoard (which is the Writer's Wealth)
I will spend, to embellish
One's beauties, if your Mine of Pleasure
In matching gratitude
One but open, so we one another grace.
The section encapsulates the essential deal, in which the author promises to utilize his creative talents to honor the woman, in return for her receptiveness. The wording combines spiritual overtones with physical yearnings, adding profundity to the work's theme.