For a Lady Who Wished Me to Show Affection
Given that you freely given me permission to love,
What will you act?
Will I your mirth, or emotion move,
Once I start to court;
Shall you torment, or disdain, or adore me too?
All trivial grace can reject, and I
Despite your aversion
Lacking your leave can observe, and die;
Bestow a nobler Lot!
It's simple to destroy, you can create.
Thus grant me leave to love, & love me too
Without purpose
To uplift, as Affection's accursed rebels act
As puling Bards moan,
Fame to their charm, from their weeping eyne.
Grief is a pool and mirrors not bright
Thy grace's lights;
Joyes are pure currents, your gaze seem
Gloomy in gloomier songs,
Through joyful verses they radiate brilliant with prayse.
Which will not refer to portray you fayr
Harms, blazes, and darts,
Gales in your forehead, snares in your hayr,
Bribing all your attributes,
Either to deceive, or torment trapped souls.
I shall render your gaze like sunrise orbs seem,
Just as soft, and fair;
One's forehead as glass polished, and pure,
Whereas your unkempt locks
Will drift like a serene Region of the Atmosphere.
Wealthy The natural world's hoard (which is the Writer's Treasure)
I shall spend, to embellish
Thy charms, if your Mine of Joy
In equal thankfulness
Thou but open, so we mutually grace.
Exploring the Work's Themes
This composition examines the dynamics of passion and admiration, in which the speaker engages with a maiden who desires his devotion. Instead, he offers a shared exchange of artistic admiration for intimate pleasures. This phraseology is graceful, combining refined traditions with frank statements of longing.
Through the stanzas, the author spurns typical tropes of unrequited love, including sadness and lamentation, claiming they dim true charm. The speaker chooses happiness and admiration to showcase the maiden's qualities, assuring to render her eyes as shining stars and her tresses as drifting air. The approach underscores a pragmatic yet skillful view on connections.
Key Components of the Piece
- Reciprocal Exchange: The work centers on a suggestion of admiration in exchange for enjoyment, emphasizing balance between the individuals.
- Rejection of Standard Motifs: The speaker condemns usual literary techniques like sadness and similes of suffering, favoring upbeat depictions.
- Creative Artistry: The employment of mixed verse lengths and flow displays the writer's proficiency in composition, producing a fluid and captivating experience.
Rich Nature's hoard (which is the Bard's Wealth)
I shall expend, to adorn
One's charms, if your Source of Pleasure
Through matching thankfulness
One but release, so we mutually bless.
This section encapsulates the core bargain, in which the poet pledges to utilize his artistic talents to honor the woman, as compensation for her willingness. The phraseology combines spiritual overtones with physical longings, adding complexity to the verse's theme.