To a Lady Who Desired Me to Love Her

Given that you freely given me permission to love,
How will you respond?
Am I to your joy, or passion stir,
As I commence woo;
Shall you torment, or mock, or cherish me too?

All trivial beauty can scorn, and I
Spight of your aversion
Lacking your consent can perceive, and succumb;
Grant a nobler Lot!
It's simple to destroy, you may form.

Then give me leave to love, & love me too
Lacking design
To elevate, as Love's cursed insurgents do
When complaining Poets moan,
Renown to their charm, from their weeping eyne.

Grief is a pool and shows not clear
Your beauty’s beams;
Joys are clear streams, your vision seem
Morose in gloomier songs,
Through joyful verses they shine brilliant with prayse.

What will not refer to express you fair
Injuries, flames, and darts,
Storms in your brow, nets in your locks,
Bribing all your attributes,
Or to deceive, or torture captive souls.

I’ll render your eyes like sunrise suns look,
Just as soft, and fayr;
Your brow as Crystall even, and transparent,
Whereas your tousled locks
Shall stream like a tranquil Zone of the Air.

Abundant The natural world's hoard (which is the Bard's Wealth)
I shall use, to embellish
Your beauties, if your Wellspring of Joy
With equal appreciation
Thou but open, so we each other favor.

Examining the Verse's Ideas

This piece examines the dynamics of passion and acclaim, in which the speaker addresses a maiden who desires his devotion. Instead, he offers a reciprocal exchange of literary praise for intimate pleasures. The wording is graceful, blending courtly traditions with frank statements of desire.

In the verses, the writer rejects usual themes of one-sided affection, including sorrow and lamentation, stating they cloud true beauty. He chooses delight and praise to highlight the maiden's features, assuring to portray her eyes as shining orbs and her locks as drifting atmosphere. This approach emphasizes a practical yet artful perspective on relationships.

Key Components of the Piece

  • Shared Agreement: The work revolves on a suggestion of admiration in return for enjoyment, highlighting parity between the parties.
  • Spurning of Conventional Motifs: The narrator disparages common poetic devices like sadness and imagery of anguish, choosing upbeat descriptions.
  • Poetic Craftsmanship: The application of mixed line measures and cadence showcases the writer's expertise in verse, producing a fluid and compelling read.
Wealthy The natural world's treasury (which is the Bard's Riches)
I will expend, to dress
Your graces, if your Source of Joy
With equal gratitude
One but unlock, so we each other bless.

The stanza summarizes the essential arrangement, where the poet vows to employ his inventive abilities to celebrate the maiden, in exchange for her receptiveness. This wording combines pious overtones with earthly yearnings, adding depth to the verse's theme.

Tammie Sanchez
Tammie Sanchez

A passionate journalist and storyteller with a deep love for northern cultures and environments.