Addressing a Lady Who Desired Me to Show Affection

Now you have granted me leave to love,
How will you respond?
Will I your joy, or emotion move,
When I commence pursue;
Do you trouble, or disdain, or adore me too?

Every minor beauty can reject, and I
Despite your dislike
Lacking your consent can see, and die;
Dispense a nobler Fate!
It is effortless to ruin, you may fashion.

Then give me leave to cherish, & adore me too
Without design
To uplift, as Affection's accursed insurgents do
While whining Versifiers whine,
Renown to their charm, from their weeping gaze.

Sadness is a pond and reflects not clear
Thy charm's lights;
Delights are pure currents, your gaze seem
Sullen in sadder verses,
Within cheerfull numbers they radiate brilliant with praise.

What may not allude to describe you lovely
Injuries, blazes, and darts,
Tempests in your brow, traps in your hayr,
Corrupting all your features,
Either to trick, or torture captive souls.

I will cause your gaze like dawn stars appear,
Just as mild, and fayr;
One's countenance as Crystall even, and pure,
And your dishevelled hair
Shall flow like a calm Area of the Atmosphere.

Abundant The natural world's treasury (which is the Poet’s Riches)
I shall use, to dress
Thy charms, if your Wellspring of Pleasure
In equal thankfulness
Thou but open, so we each other grace.

Exploring the Work's Motifs

This work explores the interplay of affection and admiration, in which the narrator engages with a woman who seeks his affection. Instead, he offers a mutual arrangement of literary admiration for private delights. The phraseology is elegant, blending polished conventions with frank expressions of longing.

Through the lines, the poet rejects typical themes of unreturned affection, such as sadness and weeping, arguing they dim true charm. The speaker prefers delight and admiration to emphasize the woman's features, assuring to render her vision as radiant orbs and her locks as streaming breeze. The technique underscores a practical yet artful perspective on connections.

Key Elements of the Piece

  • Shared Exchange: The poem revolves on a suggestion of tribute in return for delight, highlighting parity between the individuals.
  • Dismissal of Conventional Themes: The speaker condemns common artistic devices like grief and imagery of suffering, favoring optimistic imagery.
  • Creative Craftsmanship: The application of diverse meter lengths and cadence showcases the author's mastery in poetry, creating a graceful and engaging experience.
Abundant Nature’s hoard (which is the Poet’s Treasure)
I’l expend, to embellish
Your charms, if your Mine of Joy
With equal thankfulness
You but release, so we mutually favor.

The stanza captures the central arrangement, where the writer promises to utilize his inventive abilities to celebrate the woman, in exchange for her willingness. This wording combines devout hints with physical desires, giving complexity to the poem's meaning.

Colleen Ross
Colleen Ross

A dedicated early childhood educator with over 10 years of experience, passionate about fostering learning through play and creativity.