To a Lady Who Wished I Would Love Her

Since you've bestowed me permission to love,
What will you act?
Shall I your joy, or emotion stir,
Once I commence court;
Do you trouble, or mock, or love me too?

Each petty grace can disdain, and I
Spight of your aversion
Without your permission can observe, and succumb;
Dispense a nobler Lot!
It is effortless to ruin, you may fashion.

Therefore allow me leave to adore, & adore me too
Not with design
To raise, as Affection's accursed defiers behave
When puling Versifiers lament,
Fame to their grace, from their weeping eyes.

Sorrow is a pond and shows not distinct
Thy beauty’s lights;
Joyes are clear streames, your gaze appear
Gloomy in sadder verses,
Within happy numbers they gleam luminous with prayse.

What will not allude to describe you lovely
Harms, flames, and arrows,
Tempests in your brow, traps in your hayr,
Corrupting all your features,
Either to betray, or afflict captive affections.

I will make your vision like dawn suns appear,
Like gentle, and fayr;
One's brow as Crystall polished, and transparent,
And your dishevelled locks
Shall flow like a tranquil Region of the Ayr.

Rich Nature's treasury (which is the Writer's Wealth)
I will spend, to adorn
Thy graces, if your Mine of Pleasure
Through equall gratitude
One but release, so we one another grace.

Examining the Verse's Motifs

The composition delves the dynamics of affection and admiration, as the poet addresses a woman who seeks his devotion. Instead, he offers a mutual arrangement of literary admiration for personal favors. The wording is refined, combining courtly norms with frank statements of longing.

In the lines, the poet spurns common themes of one-sided love, including grief and lamentation, arguing they dim true charm. The speaker prefers happiness and acclaim to highlight the maiden's qualities, vowing to portray her eyes as bright orbs and her tresses as streaming air. The technique emphasizes a realistic yet clever outlook on connections.

Important Elements of the Piece

  • Shared Arrangement: The verse centers on a proposal of praise in trade for pleasure, stressing parity between the persons.
  • Spurning of Standard Themes: The poet disparages typical artistic techniques like sorrow and imagery of anguish, favoring upbeat descriptions.
  • Poetic Artistry: The application of mixed line lengths and flow showcases the writer's mastery in poetry, producing a graceful and engaging read.
Wealthy The natural world's treasury (which is the Writer's Wealth)
I shall expend, to dress
One's beauties, if your Mine of Pleasure
With equall appreciation
Thou but release, so we mutually favor.

This verse encapsulates the essential arrangement, in which the writer promises to utilize his creative gifts to celebrate the woman, in return for her willingness. This language blends spiritual undertones with worldly yearnings, providing depth to the poem's meaning.

Mark Sanford
Mark Sanford

Tech enthusiast and writer passionate about emerging technologies and their impact on society.

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