To a Lady That Desired Me to Show Affection
Since you've granted me leave to love,
What shall you do?
Shall I your delight, or emotion arouse,
As I commence woo;
Do you trouble, or mock, or adore me too?
Every minor beauty can scorn, and I
Despite your dislike
Without your permission can see, and perish;
Bestow a loftier Fate!
It's simple to destroy, you could form.
Then grant me permission to cherish, & love me too
Not with purpose
To elevate, as Love's accursed insurgents do
As puling Versifiers lament,
Fame to their charm, from their tearful eyne.
Grief is a puddle and reflects not bright
Thy grace's rayes;
Joys are clear streames, your gaze appear
Gloomy in more sorrowful verses,
Through joyful verses they radiate luminous with praise.
What may not allude to portray you lovely
Harms, blazes, and arrows,
Tempests in your brow, snares in your locks,
Corrupting all your features,
Or else to deceive, or torment trapped souls.
I shall make your vision like dawn orbs look,
Like gentle, and fayr;
Thy countenance as glass even, and clear,
While your tousled hayr
May stream like a serene Region of the Ayr.
Abundant Nature’s hoard (which is the Bard's Wealth)
I will use, to embellish
Thy beauties, if your Source of Pleasure
Through matching appreciation
Thou but unlock, so we mutually bless.
Delving into the Work's Ideas
This composition delves the interplay of affection and praise, in which the speaker speaks to a woman who seeks his devotion. Conversely, he offers a mutual agreement of literary admiration for private favors. The wording is refined, blending courtly norms with candid expressions of yearning.
Within the stanzas, the writer dismisses usual themes of unreturned affection, including sorrow and lamentation, stating they cloud true grace. The speaker prefers joy and praise to showcase the woman's features, assuring to render her vision as radiant orbs and her tresses as streaming breeze. This technique highlights a pragmatic yet artful view on connections.
Significant Aspects of the Composition
- Shared Agreement: The work centers on a proposal of tribute in trade for enjoyment, stressing equality between the persons.
- Rejection of Conventional Ideas: The speaker criticizes usual poetic techniques like sadness and metaphors of suffering, choosing optimistic descriptions.
- Artistic Artistry: The application of mixed verse measures and rhythm showcases the author's proficiency in verse, forming a graceful and captivating experience.
Abundant The natural world's store (which is the Bard's Riches)
I shall use, to embellish
One's beauties, if your Wellspring of Joy
In equall thankfulness
One but unlock, so we one another favor.
The stanza captures the core arrangement, in which the author promises to use his creative abilities to praise the lady, in exchange for her willingness. This language blends pious overtones with worldly desires, adding profundity to the work's message.