For a Lady Who Desired Me to Show Affection
Given that you granted me permission to love,
What will you act?
Will I your joy, or ardor move,
Once I begin to pursue;
Will you torment, or scorn, or adore me too?
All trivial grace can reject, and I
Despite your aversion
Absent your leave can observe, and perish;
Grant a grander Destiny!
It's simple to demolish, you could fashion.
Therefore grant me leave to adore, & adore me too
Not with design
To raise, as Love's accursed insurgents do
When complaining Versifiers lament,
Acclaim to their beauty, from their blubber’d gaze.
Sorrow is a pool and reflects not distinct
Your charm's rayes;
Joys are untainted streames, your gaze appear
Gloomy in sadder layes,
Through cheerfull verses they radiate luminous with acclaim.
What will not mention to express you fair
Injuries, fires, and shafts,
Storms in your countenance, traps in your hair,
Corrupting all your features,
Or else to deceive, or afflict captive hearts.
I shall make your gaze like sunrise orbs look,
As gentle, and fair;
Your brow as glass even, and clear,
And your unkempt hair
May flow like a tranquil Region of the Ayr.
Rich The natural world's hoard (which is the Writer's Wealth)
I shall use, to adorn
One's beauties, if your Wellspring of Delight
With equall appreciation
You but release, so we mutually favor.
Exploring the Verse's Motifs
The work explores the dynamics of affection and acclaim, in which the speaker speaks to a woman who desires his love. Conversely, he suggests a mutual agreement of poetic admiration for private delights. This wording is elegant, mixing refined traditions with frank statements of yearning.
Within the verses, the writer rejects common tropes of one-sided affection, such as sorrow and weeping, claiming they cloud true grace. The speaker prefers joy and acclaim to emphasize the woman's attributes, assuring to render her vision as radiant suns and her hair as streaming breeze. The approach emphasizes a practical yet clever view on relationships.
Key Aspects of the Composition
- Shared Arrangement: The work centers on a suggestion of tribute in exchange for enjoyment, highlighting parity between the persons.
- Spurning of Traditional Themes: The narrator criticizes common artistic devices like sorrow and imagery of anguish, preferring optimistic depictions.
- Poetic Artistry: The employment of diverse verse lengths and rhythm showcases the poet's mastery in poetry, producing a graceful and engaging read.
Rich Nature's treasury (which is the Writer's Riches)
I’l use, to dress
One's graces, if your Wellspring of Joy
With equall thankfulness
Thou but open, so we each other bless.
This verse encapsulates the central arrangement, in which the writer pledges to employ his creative abilities to honor the maiden, as compensation for her openness. The language mixes spiritual overtones with earthly yearnings, providing complexity to the poem's theme.