To a Lady Who Requested Me to Love Her
Since you've bestowed me leave to love,
What shall you do?
Will I your joy, or passion move,
As I start to court;
Shall you distress, or mock, or love me too?
Each petty grace can scorn, and I
In spite of your hate
Without your permission can perceive, and perish;
Bestow a loftier Fate!
’Tis easy to demolish, you can form.
Then give me consent to cherish, & love me too
Without purpose
To elevate, as Loves cursed defiers behave
As whining Versifiers whine,
Renown to their beauty, from their tearful eyes.
Sadness is a pool and reflects not bright
One's grace's rayes;
Joyes are pure streames, your gaze look
Gloomy in more sorrowful verses,
In joyful numbers they shine luminous with prayse.
Which will not refer to express you lovely
Injuries, fires, and shafts,
Tempests in your forehead, nets in your locks,
Bribing all your attributes,
Or else to deceive, or torture captive hearts.
I will render your vision like morning stars appear,
Just as soft, and fair;
Your countenance as glass smooth, and clear,
Whereas your unkempt hair
May stream like a serene Zone of the Ayr.
Rich Nature's store (which is the Poet’s Riches)
I’l spend, to embellish
Your graces, if your Mine of Pleasure
With matching thankfulness
You but release, so we each other bless.
Exploring the Verse's Ideas
This piece explores the interplay of affection and praise, as the poet engages with a woman who requests his love. Conversely, he suggests a shared arrangement of literary praise for private favors. The wording is elegant, blending refined traditions with candid expressions of longing.
Within the stanzas, the author dismisses typical motifs of one-sided passion, such as grief and lamentation, arguing they dim true grace. He prefers happiness and admiration to highlight the lady's features, vowing to depict her gaze as radiant orbs and her hair as drifting air. This technique emphasizes a practical yet artful perspective on connections.
Significant Elements of the Piece
- Shared Exchange: The poem focuses on a suggestion of admiration in trade for delight, highlighting balance between the parties.
- Rejection of Conventional Motifs: The speaker disparages common literary techniques like sorrow and imagery of suffering, preferring upbeat descriptions.
- Artistic Craftsmanship: The employment of mixed verse patterns and cadence showcases the writer's mastery in verse, forming a graceful and captivating read.
Wealthy Nature's hoard (which is the Writer's Wealth)
I shall spend, to adorn
Your charms, if your Wellspring of Pleasure
Through equal appreciation
Thou but unlock, so we one another favor.
The verse encapsulates the central deal, where the poet promises to use his inventive abilities to celebrate the maiden, as compensation for her openness. The language blends spiritual hints with worldly desires, providing depth to the verse's theme.