Addressing a Lady Who Requested Me to Show Affection

Now you have freely given me permission to love,
What will you respond?
Shall I your mirth, or passion stir,
As I start to woo;
Do you distress, or disdain, or adore me too?

Each petty beauty can reject, and I
In spite of your hate
Absent your leave can perceive, and succumb;
Grant a grander Lot!
’Tis easy to demolish, you could create.

Thus allow me permission to adore, & cherish me too
Without intent
To elevate, as Loves damned defiers behave
While whining Poets whine,
Fame to their charm, from their tearful eyne.

Sadness is a pond and mirrors not clear
Your grace's lights;
Delights are untainted streams, your vision appear
Sullen in sadder layes,
In joyful lines they gleam bright with praise.

Which shall not mention to express you fair
Injuries, blazes, and shafts,
Gales in your forehead, nets in your locks,
Suborning all your features,
Or else to deceive, or torture captive affections.

I shall cause your eyes like dawn stars seem,
As soft, and fair;
Thy forehead as Crystall polished, and clear,
And your tousled hayr
May stream like a tranquil Region of the Atmosphere.

Rich Nature’s treasury (which is the Poet’s Riches)
I will spend, to dress
One's charms, if your Mine of Pleasure
With matching gratitude
One but release, so we one another bless.

Exploring the Work's Motifs

The composition explores the dynamics of passion and acclaim, in which the narrator engages with a woman who desires his devotion. Rather, he suggests a reciprocal agreement of artistic admiration for intimate delights. The language is refined, mixing courtly traditions with frank utterances of yearning.

Within the verses, the author spurns typical tropes of one-sided passion, including sorrow and tears, claiming they cloud true beauty. The speaker prefers joy and admiration to emphasize the maiden's features, assuring to render her vision as radiant stars and her hair as streaming atmosphere. The approach highlights a practical yet clever view on bonds.

Significant Aspects of the Piece

  • Shared Exchange: The verse centers on a proposal of praise in exchange for delight, highlighting balance between the parties.
  • Rejection of Conventional Ideas: The speaker criticizes typical literary devices like sadness and imagery of anguish, preferring optimistic depictions.
  • Creative Craftsmanship: The use of diverse verse patterns and cadence displays the writer's mastery in composition, producing a fluid and captivating experience.
Rich Nature’s treasury (which is the Poet’s Treasure)
I’l spend, to embellish
Thy graces, if your Mine of Pleasure
With equall thankfulness
One but open, so we one another favor.

This verse summarizes the central arrangement, in which the writer promises to employ his inventive gifts to praise the woman, in exchange for her willingness. The wording combines spiritual overtones with worldly yearnings, providing depth to the poem's meaning.

Ruth Murphy
Ruth Murphy

A passionate web developer and tech enthusiast sharing knowledge and experiences in modern web technologies.