For a Lady Who Wished I Would Show Affection

Since you've bestowed me leave to love,
What shall you respond?
Will I your joy, or passion arouse,
As I commence court;
Shall you trouble, or disdain, or cherish me too?

Each petty grace can reject, and I
Despite your hate
Lacking your consent can perceive, and perish;
Dispense a grander Destiny!
It's simple to demolish, you can create.

Thus grant me permission to cherish, & love me too
Without design
To uplift, as Loves damned rebels act
While puling Bards whine,
Acclaim to their charm, from their tearful gaze.

Sadness is a puddle and shows not bright
One's beauty’s lights;
Joyes are untainted streams, your vision seem
Gloomy in sadder layes,
Within happy lines they gleam bright with acclaim.

What may not mention to portray you fair
Injuries, blazes, and shafts,
Tempests in your countenance, snares in your locks,
Corrupting all your parts,
Or to deceive, or torture ensnared souls.

I shall render your eyes like morning suns appear,
Just as mild, and lovely;
One's brow as crystal even, and pure,
Whereas your dishevelled hair
Will stream like a tranquil Region of the Ayr.

Rich Nature’s hoard (which is the Poet’s Treasure)
I’l spend, to dress
Your charms, if your Wellspring of Pleasure
In equal appreciation
One but release, so we one another favor.

Delving into the Verse's Themes

This composition explores the relationship of affection and admiration, as the speaker speaks to a maiden who requests his devotion. Instead, he suggests a shared agreement of literary tribute for personal delights. This phraseology is elegant, combining courtly norms with candid utterances of longing.

In the lines, the author rejects typical motifs of unreturned passion, like grief and lamentation, arguing they dim true charm. He favors joy and admiration to showcase the maiden's attributes, assuring to render her vision as bright orbs and her hair as flowing air. This method emphasizes a practical yet artful perspective on relationships.

Significant Aspects of the Composition

  • Mutual Arrangement: The poem centers on a offer of praise in return for delight, stressing balance between the individuals.
  • Spurning of Conventional Themes: The narrator disparages typical poetic tools like sorrow and metaphors of anguish, choosing upbeat depictions.
  • Creative Craftsmanship: The use of varied verse lengths and rhythm displays the writer's expertise in composition, forming a graceful and captivating text.
Wealthy The natural world's hoard (which is the Writer's Treasure)
I will expend, to adorn
One's graces, if your Mine of Pleasure
Through equall gratitude
You but unlock, so we each other bless.

This section captures the core deal, where the poet promises to utilize his creative gifts to honor the maiden, in return for her openness. This wording blends spiritual undertones with physical longings, giving complexity to the poem's theme.

Lauren Freeman
Lauren Freeman

A philosopher and writer passionate about exploring existential questions and sharing insights on modern thought.