Addressing a Lady That Desired I Would Love Her

Since you've bestowed me leave to love,
How will you respond?
Am I to your joy, or passion stir,
Once I start to court;
Shall you torment, or disdain, or cherish me too?

Each petty grace can disdain, and I
Spight of your aversion
Lacking your consent can perceive, and die;
Bestow a nobler Lot!
It is effortless to destroy, you could create.

Therefore grant me leave to adore, & adore me too
Lacking intent
To raise, as Love's damned rebels do
When whining Bards whine,
Renown to their charm, from their weeping gaze.

Sadness is a puddle and mirrors not clear
Your beauty’s lights;
Delights are clear currents, your vision seem
Morose in gloomier verses,
In joyful numbers they radiate luminous with praise.

Which will not refer to portray you fair
Wounds, flames, and darts,
Storms in your forehead, traps in your hair,
Corrupting all your features,
Or else to deceive, or torture captive affections.

I shall cause your gaze like dawn stars appear,
Just as mild, and fayr;
One's countenance as glass even, and transparent,
And your tousled locks
Shall drift like a calm Region of the Air.

Abundant Nature's store (which is the Poet’s Treasure)
I shall expend, to embellish
One's graces, if your Source of Joy
In equal thankfulness
Thou but open, so we mutually grace.

Examining the Verse's Themes

The work delves the dynamics of affection and praise, where the poet engages with a woman who seeks his devotion. Instead, he proposes a shared arrangement of literary admiration for private favors. This phraseology is graceful, combining refined conventions with candid statements of desire.

Through the lines, the poet spurns usual tropes of one-sided affection, including sorrow and lamentation, stating they obscure true beauty. He favors delight and acclaim to emphasize the woman's features, vowing to depict her eyes as radiant stars and her locks as drifting atmosphere. This method highlights a pragmatic yet clever outlook on relationships.

Key Elements of the Piece

  • Shared Arrangement: The verse focuses on a offer of tribute in trade for enjoyment, emphasizing equality between the persons.
  • Dismissal of Standard Themes: The poet condemns typical literary tools like sadness and similes of suffering, preferring optimistic imagery.
  • Creative Craftsmanship: The application of mixed verse patterns and rhythm showcases the author's mastery in composition, forming a graceful and captivating read.
Abundant Nature's hoard (which is the Writer's Riches)
I will expend, to dress
One's graces, if your Mine of Joy
With matching appreciation
One but unlock, so we each other bless.

The stanza encapsulates the core bargain, as the poet vows to use his creative talents to praise the woman, as compensation for her willingness. This language mixes devout hints with worldly yearnings, providing complexity to the work's message.

Lindsey Fields
Lindsey Fields

A professional gambler and writer with over a decade of experience in casino strategies and sports betting analysis.