For a Lady That Wished Me to Love Her
Now you have freely given me permission to love,
What shall you do?
Will I your delight, or emotion arouse,
Once I commence pursue;
Do you trouble, or scorn, or cherish me too?
All trivial grace can disdain, and I
Spight of your aversion
Lacking your leave can see, and succumb;
Bestow a loftier Fate!
It is effortless to destroy, you can form.
Thus grant me consent to love, & adore me too
Not with intent
To raise, as Affection's cursed rebels act
As puling Poets moan,
Renown to their beauty, from their weeping eyne.
Grief is a puddle and mirrors not clear
Your grace's beams;
Delights are pure streames, your vision seem
Sullen in more sorrowful songs,
Within happy lines they gleam bright with acclaim.
What shall not refer to express you fayr
Injuries, flames, and shafts,
Storms in your countenance, nets in your hayr,
Suborning all your features,
Either to trick, or torment ensnared souls.
I shall make your gaze like dawn suns appear,
Like soft, and lovely;
Your countenance as Crystall polished, and transparent,
And your tousled hair
Will drift like a tranquil Area of the Atmosphere.
Wealthy The natural world's treasury (which is the Bard's Treasure)
I shall use, to embellish
Your graces, if your Wellspring of Delight
With equall gratitude
You but unlock, so we mutually bless.
Delving into the Poem's Themes
This work delves the interplay of love and acclaim, as the poet engages with a woman who seeks his devotion. Instead, he proposes a reciprocal agreement of artistic tribute for intimate favors. The wording is elegant, mixing refined traditions with frank utterances of yearning.
In the verses, the author spurns common tropes of unreturned affection, like sadness and weeping, claiming they cloud true grace. The speaker favors joy and praise to showcase the maiden's qualities, assuring to render her vision as radiant stars and her hair as streaming breeze. The method underscores a realistic yet clever view on bonds.
Key Components of the Piece
- Mutual Exchange: The poem focuses on a suggestion of tribute in exchange for enjoyment, highlighting balance between the parties.
- Rejection of Standard Themes: The narrator criticizes usual literary tools like sadness and metaphors of anguish, choosing positive imagery.
- Artistic Artistry: The use of diverse meter measures and rhythm demonstrates the poet's proficiency in poetry, creating a graceful and captivating read.
Rich Nature’s hoard (which is the Poet’s Wealth)
I will expend, to embellish
One's graces, if your Mine of Delight
Through equal appreciation
You but unlock, so we one another bless.
The verse captures the essential bargain, where the writer vows to utilize his inventive talents to celebrate the lady, in return for her willingness. This wording combines spiritual hints with worldly desires, giving profundity to the poem's theme.