For a Lady That Requested Me to Show Affection
Since you've bestowed me permission to love,
What will you respond?
Am I to your joy, or ardor move,
When I begin to woo;
Will you torment, or disdain, or love me too?
Each petty grace can scorn, and I
Despite your aversion
Lacking your permission can observe, and die;
Bestow a nobler Destiny!
It's simple to ruin, you could create.
Therefore give me consent to cherish, & adore me too
Without design
To raise, as Affection's accursed defiers behave
As whining Bards moan,
Acclaim to their beauty, from their weeping eyne.
Sorrow is a pool and reflects not distinct
Thy beauty’s lights;
Joyes are pure currents, your gaze look
Gloomy in more sorrowful verses,
In joyful verses they gleam luminous with acclaim.
That may not allude to express you lovely
Wounds, fires, and arrows,
Gales in your countenance, traps in your hayr,
Corrupting all your attributes,
Either to deceive, or torment captive affections.
I will cause your eyes like morning orbs seem,
Like gentle, and lovely;
Thy forehead as crystal even, and clear,
Whereas your tousled locks
Shall drift like a calm Area of the Air.
Rich Nature’s treasury (which is the Poet’s Riches)
I shall spend, to embellish
One's charms, if your Mine of Delight
In equall gratitude
Thou but open, so we one another favor.
Delving into the Verse's Themes
This composition examines the interplay of passion and acclaim, where the speaker addresses a maiden who desires his affection. Conversely, he offers a reciprocal arrangement of literary tribute for private pleasures. The wording is elegant, blending courtly conventions with candid expressions of desire.
Within the lines, the poet spurns usual tropes of unreturned love, including sorrow and tears, arguing they dim true charm. The speaker favors delight and admiration to showcase the lady's attributes, vowing to render her gaze as bright suns and her locks as drifting air. This method emphasizes a realistic yet clever outlook on connections.
Key Elements of the Work
- Shared Arrangement: The work centers on a suggestion of admiration in return for delight, stressing equality between the parties.
- Spurning of Conventional Themes: The speaker disparages usual literary devices like sadness and metaphors of anguish, choosing upbeat descriptions.
- Artistic Craftsmanship: The application of diverse line lengths and rhythm displays the writer's mastery in verse, creating a graceful and captivating text.
Abundant Nature's hoard (which is the Bard's Wealth)
I shall spend, to embellish
One's charms, if your Source of Pleasure
Through equal appreciation
Thou but release, so we mutually bless.
This stanza encapsulates the core bargain, in which the poet promises to use his artistic talents to praise the woman, in exchange for her willingness. This wording combines devout overtones with physical longings, providing depth to the verse's message.