For a Lady Who Desired I Would Love Her

Given that you bestowed me leave to love,
What shall you act?
Will I your joy, or passion arouse,
Once I begin to woo;
Do you torment, or mock, or cherish me too?

Every minor beauty can scorn, and I
Spight of your dislike
Absent your consent can observe, and die;
Bestow a grander Fate!
It's simple to ruin, you can fashion.

Then grant me consent to adore, & cherish me too
Lacking design
To elevate, as Affection's cursed defiers act
While complaining Poets whine,
Renown to their grace, from their weeping gaze.

Sadness is a puddle and mirrors not clear
Thy beauty’s rayes;
Joyes are clear currents, your eyes look
Gloomy in gloomier verses,
Through cheerfull verses they shine luminous with prayse.

Which may not allude to describe you fayr
Harms, fires, and shafts,
Storms in your forehead, nets in your locks,
Corrupting all your attributes,
Or to deceive, or torture trapped souls.

I will make your eyes like sunrise suns look,
As mild, and lovely;
Thy forehead as crystal even, and pure,
And your tousled hair
Shall flow like a tranquil Zone of the Atmosphere.

Wealthy Nature's hoard (which is the Writer's Treasure)
I will expend, to adorn
One's charms, if your Mine of Pleasure
With equal appreciation
Thou but release, so we mutually grace.

Exploring the Work's Ideas

The piece delves the interplay of passion and praise, where the poet engages with a lady who requests his affection. Rather, he suggests a mutual agreement of poetic praise for intimate delights. The language is elegant, mixing refined conventions with candid expressions of desire.

Through the verses, the author rejects typical tropes of unrequited passion, including grief and lamentation, claiming they cloud true grace. The speaker chooses delight and admiration to highlight the woman's features, assuring to portray her eyes as bright orbs and her locks as drifting breeze. This approach emphasizes a pragmatic yet skillful view on relationships.

Key Elements of the Piece

  • Reciprocal Exchange: The poem centers on a suggestion of praise in return for delight, highlighting equality between the parties.
  • Rejection of Standard Themes: The poet criticizes common artistic tools like sorrow and similes of pain, choosing positive imagery.
  • Poetic Skill: The application of mixed meter lengths and flow displays the writer's expertise in verse, forming a smooth and engaging text.
Wealthy The natural world's store (which is the Bard's Riches)
I shall expend, to adorn
One's graces, if your Mine of Pleasure
With equall thankfulness
Thou but unlock, so we mutually favor.

The stanza summarizes the essential arrangement, in which the writer pledges to utilize his inventive abilities to honor the maiden, as compensation for her receptiveness. The phraseology mixes devout undertones with worldly desires, giving depth to the verse's meaning.

Thomas Reyes
Thomas Reyes

A seasoned journalist with a passion for investigative reporting and storytelling, focusing on media ethics and digital culture.

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