To a Lady That Requested Me to Love Her
Given that you granted me leave to love,
What will you respond?
Am I to your mirth, or passion move,
Once I begin to woo;
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 die;
Grant a loftier Lot!
It is effortless to demolish, you could form.
Then allow me leave to cherish, & cherish me too
Without purpose
To elevate, as Loves damned defiers behave
As puling Versifiers lament,
Fame to their beauty, from their tearful eyes.
Grief is a pool and mirrors not bright
Your charm's lights;
Joys are pure streams, your gaze appear
Gloomy in gloomier songs,
In cheerfull verses they radiate brilliant with prayse.
That will not allude to describe you fair
Injuries, flames, and arrows,
Gales in your countenance, nets in your hair,
Suborning all your features,
Or to deceive, or torment trapped affections.
I shall make your vision like dawn orbs seem,
As mild, and lovely;
Thy forehead as crystal even, and pure,
Whereas your dishevelled hair
Shall drift like a calm Zone of the Ayr.
Abundant Nature’s hoard (which is the Writer's Wealth)
I shall spend, to adorn
Thy charms, if your Source of Pleasure
Through equall appreciation
You but unlock, so we one another bless.
Examining the Work's Ideas
This work delves the dynamics of love and admiration, in which the speaker speaks to a lady who seeks his love. Rather, he proposes a reciprocal arrangement of poetic tribute for intimate favors. The wording is graceful, blending polished conventions with direct statements of longing.
Within the stanzas, the writer rejects common themes of one-sided affection, like sorrow and lamentation, claiming they obscure true grace. The speaker favors joy and acclaim to highlight the lady's qualities, promising to depict her vision as shining suns and her locks as drifting air. This method highlights a pragmatic yet artful outlook on bonds.
Significant Components of the Composition
- Mutual Arrangement: The work centers on a offer of admiration in exchange for delight, stressing balance between the parties.
- Dismissal of Standard Ideas: The poet condemns typical literary devices like grief and metaphors of pain, favoring upbeat descriptions.
- Poetic Artistry: The employment of diverse line lengths and cadence demonstrates the writer's mastery in verse, forming a graceful and captivating read.
Abundant Nature’s store (which is the Poet’s Wealth)
I shall expend, to adorn
Thy beauties, if your Wellspring of Delight
With matching gratitude
One but release, so we mutually grace.
The section captures the central deal, as the poet pledges to employ his artistic talents to praise the maiden, as compensation for her openness. This language blends spiritual undertones with physical yearnings, providing depth to the work's meaning.