To a Lady Who Requested I Would Love Her

Now you have bestowed me leave to love,
What will you respond?
Am I to your delight, or emotion stir,
Once I commence court;
Shall you torment, or mock, or cherish me too?

All trivial beauty can disdain, and I
Spight of your hate
Without your leave can perceive, and succumb;
Dispense a nobler Fate!
It is effortless to destroy, you may create.

Thus give me leave to love, & adore me too
Lacking design
To elevate, as Affection's damned insurgents do
While whining Poets whine,
Acclaim to their charm, from their weeping eyes.

Sorrow is a puddle and shows not clear
Thy charm's beams;
Joys are pure streams, your eyes appear
Gloomy in sadder verses,
Within happy numbers they gleam luminous with praise.

Which may not allude to express you fayr
Injuries, flames, and darts,
Storms in your countenance, nets in your hair,
Suborning all your parts,
Or else to trick, or afflict trapped hearts.

I shall cause your vision like sunrise orbs seem,
Like soft, and fair;
Thy forehead as crystal even, and transparent,
While your dishevelled hayr
May drift like a tranquil Region of the Ayr.

Rich Nature’s store (which is the Bard's Treasure)
I’l use, to dress
Your graces, if your Source of Pleasure
In matching gratitude
You but release, so we one another grace.

Delving into the Poem's Motifs

This piece examines the interplay of love and praise, in which the speaker speaks to a lady who desires his love. Conversely, he offers a shared arrangement of artistic tribute for intimate delights. The language is refined, combining refined conventions with frank statements of desire.

In the lines, the poet rejects typical tropes of unrequited love, like sorrow and weeping, arguing they cloud true beauty. He chooses delight and admiration to highlight the lady's qualities, assuring to render her vision as radiant suns and her tresses as flowing breeze. The method highlights a pragmatic yet artful outlook on relationships.

Significant Components of the Composition

  • Reciprocal Agreement: The poem focuses on a proposal of praise in trade for pleasure, highlighting balance between the persons.
  • Rejection of Standard Ideas: The speaker criticizes usual poetic devices like sorrow and metaphors of suffering, choosing optimistic depictions.
  • Poetic Skill: The employment of diverse line patterns and cadence showcases the writer's mastery in composition, forming a graceful and engaging read.
Rich Nature's treasury (which is the Bard's Riches)
I shall spend, to adorn
One's charms, if your Wellspring of Pleasure
Through equal appreciation
You but open, so we each other bless.

The section captures the essential deal, where the author promises to use his artistic abilities to celebrate the maiden, in return for her willingness. This language combines pious hints with worldly desires, providing complexity to the work's theme.

Michelle Hatfield
Michelle Hatfield

A seasoned digital marketer with over a decade of experience in content strategy and SEO optimization.