Addressing a Lady Who Requested I Would Love Her

Given that you granted me leave to love,
What will you do?
Am I to your joy, or passion stir,
When I start to court;
Shall you distress, or disdain, or love me too?

Every minor beauty can reject, and I
Spight of your dislike
Absent your leave can see, and perish;
Grant a grander Lot!
’Tis easy to ruin, you can fashion.

Thus grant me leave to love, & love me too
Without purpose
To raise, as Loves cursed rebels act
While whining Versifiers moan,
Renown to their charm, from their tearful eyne.

Sorrow is a pool and shows not bright
Thy grace's beams;
Delights are clear streames, your vision appear
Morose in more sorrowful layes,
In joyful numbers they gleam luminous with prayse.

Which shall not allude to describe you fair
Injuries, blazes, and arrows,
Gales in your brow, snares in your hayr,
Bribing all your attributes,
Or to betray, or torment trapped souls.

I shall render your vision like morning orbs appear,
Just as gentle, and fayr;
One's countenance as crystal polished, and clear,
And your dishevelled hayr
May stream like a calm Area of the Air.

Rich Nature’s treasury (which is the Poet’s Riches)
I shall spend, to adorn
One's charms, if your Mine of Delight
In equal thankfulness
Thou but open, so we one another grace.

Exploring the Poem's Themes

This piece delves the dynamics of affection and acclaim, where the poet speaks to a maiden who requests his affection. Conversely, he proposes a reciprocal agreement of poetic tribute for personal delights. This wording is elegant, mixing refined traditions with direct expressions of desire.

In the lines, the author rejects common motifs of unreturned affection, like sadness and tears, arguing they obscure true charm. He favors delight and acclaim to highlight the maiden's attributes, assuring to depict her vision as bright suns and her tresses as streaming atmosphere. The technique highlights a realistic yet artful view on bonds.

Important Components of the Work

• Reciprocal Agreement: The poem focuses on a proposal of praise in trade for pleasure, stressing parity between the individuals.
• Dismissal of Standard Themes: The poet disparages common artistic techniques like grief and imagery of anguish, favoring upbeat descriptions.
• Poetic Craftsmanship: The employment of mixed meter measures and cadence demonstrates the writer's expertise in verse, producing a graceful and compelling read.

Rich Nature's treasury (which is the Bard's Wealth)
I will expend, to adorn
Your graces, if your Mine of Joy
In equall gratitude
Thou but open, so we mutually favor.

This stanza captures the core arrangement, as the poet promises to employ his artistic gifts to celebrate the maiden, in exchange for her willingness. The language combines spiritual undertones with physical desires, giving profundity to the verse's meaning.