To a Lady That Wished Me to Show Affection

Since you've granted me consent to love,
What will you respond?
Am I to your delight, or ardor move,
As I commence court;
Do you trouble, or disdain, or adore me too?

Every minor beauty can reject, and I
Despite your aversion
Lacking your leave can observe, and die;
Bestow a grander Lot!
It's simple to destroy, you can create.

Therefore grant me leave to adore, & adore me too
Without design
To raise, as Love's damned insurgents act
When puling Bards whine,
Acclaim to their beauty, from their weeping gaze.

Sadness is a puddle and shows not clear
Your beauty’s rayes;
Joys are pure streams, your eyes look
Gloomy in sadder songs,
Through joyful verses they shine bright with prayse.

Which may not mention to express you lovely
Wounds, fires, and arrows,
Tempests in your forehead, nets in your locks,
Bribing all your features,
Or to deceive, or afflict captive souls.

I shall cause your vision like morning suns look,
Like mild, and fayr;
Your brow as Crystall polished, and clear,
While your dishevelled hayr
Will stream like a serene Region of the Ayr.

Wealthy Nature's hoard (which is the Writer's Riches)
I will spend, to adorn
One's charms, if your Source of Joy
With matching appreciation
Thou but unlock, so we mutually grace.

Exploring the Verse's Ideas

This composition examines the dynamics of love and acclaim, where the narrator engages with a woman who desires his love. Conversely, he suggests a reciprocal arrangement of artistic admiration for personal favors. This language is elegant, mixing polished conventions with candid statements of yearning.

Through the stanzas, the writer rejects common motifs of unrequited love, such as grief and weeping, arguing they obscure true grace. He chooses joy and acclaim to highlight the woman's qualities, assuring to depict her gaze as shining suns and her hair as flowing air. The technique underscores a practical yet artful perspective on bonds.

Important Aspects of the Work

  • Mutual Agreement: The poem focuses on a suggestion of praise in exchange for delight, highlighting parity between the individuals.
  • Rejection of Traditional Themes: The narrator disparages typical literary tools like sadness and imagery of anguish, choosing positive descriptions.
  • Poetic Craftsmanship: The use of mixed meter lengths and flow demonstrates the author's mastery in verse, forming a fluid and captivating read.
Wealthy Nature's store (which is the Poet’s Wealth)
I’l expend, to embellish
Thy charms, if your Mine of Joy
In matching gratitude
One but release, so we mutually bless.

This verse summarizes the essential arrangement, as the author promises to use his inventive gifts to celebrate the lady, as compensation for her openness. The phraseology combines pious undertones with earthly longings, providing complexity to the verse's message.

Brian Munoz
Brian Munoz

A seasoned real estate analyst with over a decade of experience in property markets and home investment strategies.