🔗 Share this article Addressing a Lady Who Desired I Would Show Affection Given that you granted me consent to love, How will you do? Am I to your joy, or emotion move, As I begin to pursue; Will you trouble, or mock, or love me too? Every minor beauty can disdain, and I Spight of your hate Lacking your permission can see, and succumb; Grant a grander Lot! It is effortless to destroy, you may fashion. Then give me leave to adore, & love me too Lacking intent To uplift, as Loves cursed rebels do While puling Bards moan, Fame to their grace, from their blubber’d eyes. Sadness is a pond and reflects not bright Thy charm's rayes; Joyes are pure streames, your eyes look Gloomy in gloomier verses, In cheerfull lines they gleam bright with praise. That may not mention to portray you lovely Injuries, fires, and arrows, Storms in your forehead, traps in your locks, Bribing all your parts, Or else to trick, or torture ensnared souls. I’ll cause your vision like morning stars seem, As mild, and fair; Thy countenance as glass smooth, and transparent, And your tousled hair Shall drift like a calm Region of the Atmosphere. Rich Nature's treasury (which is the Writer's Wealth) I shall use, to adorn Thy charms, if your Mine of Joy With matching thankfulness Thou but unlock, so we each other favor. Exploring the Poem's Themes This piece examines the interplay of love and acclaim, where the poet speaks to a lady who desires his devotion. Instead, he proposes a shared exchange of poetic tribute for private favors. This language is graceful, blending courtly traditions with frank statements of desire. In the stanzas, the writer dismisses typical motifs of one-sided affection, including sorrow and lamentation, arguing they dim true beauty. The speaker prefers happiness and acclaim to emphasize the woman's features, promising to render her eyes as bright suns and her hair as streaming air. The technique emphasizes a practical yet skillful perspective on bonds. Significant Aspects of the Piece Shared Exchange: The poem centers on a proposal of tribute in return for delight, stressing balance between the parties. Dismissal of Standard Ideas: The narrator criticizes typical literary tools like sorrow and imagery of pain, favoring positive descriptions. Poetic Craftsmanship: The employment of varied line patterns and cadence demonstrates the author's expertise in composition, forming a fluid and compelling read. Abundant Nature's store (which is the Writer's Treasure) I will expend, to adorn One's beauties, if your Mine of Pleasure Through equall thankfulness Thou but release, so we each other bless. This stanza encapsulates the central arrangement, as the writer vows to utilize his inventive gifts to praise the lady, in return for her receptiveness. This phraseology combines pious undertones with worldly longings, adding complexity to the verse's meaning.