For a Lady That Desired I Would Show Affection

Given that you freely given me leave to love,
How will you do?
Will I your mirth, or ardor arouse,
When I start to woo;
Do you trouble, or scorn, or love me too?

Each petty beauty can disdain, and I
In spite of your dislike
Absent your leave can see, and succumb;
Dispense a grander Destiny!
’Tis easy to ruin, you may form.

Therefore give me leave to cherish, & adore me too
Lacking purpose
To raise, as Love's accursed rebels do
While complaining Versifiers moan,
Acclaim to their beauty, from their tearful eyne.

Sadness is a pool and mirrors not distinct
Thy charm's rayes;
Joys are untainted currents, your vision look
Morose in more sorrowful layes,
In happy verses they radiate luminous with praise.

Which may not allude to describe you fayr
Wounds, fires, and darts,
Storms in your forehead, nets in your hayr,
Suborning all your features,
Or else to trick, or torture captive hearts.

I’ll make your eyes like morning stars look,
As mild, and fair;
Your forehead as Crystall smooth, and clear,
And your tousled hair
Will flow like a tranquil Area of the Air.

Rich The natural world's store (which is the Writer's Wealth)
I’l use, to adorn
One's graces, if your Wellspring of Delight
Through equall gratitude
One but release, so we one another bless.

Examining the Work's Themes

The piece delves the relationship of passion and praise, as the speaker engages with a woman who requests his love. Instead, he offers a reciprocal arrangement of artistic admiration for private favors. The wording is graceful, mixing courtly conventions with direct expressions of longing.

Within the lines, the writer spurns typical motifs of one-sided passion, including grief and weeping, arguing they obscure true beauty. The speaker favors joy and praise to showcase the maiden's attributes, vowing to portray her eyes as radiant orbs and her locks as flowing air. This approach underscores a realistic yet skillful perspective on connections.

Key Aspects of the Composition

  • Mutual Exchange: The poem revolves on a proposal of admiration in return for delight, highlighting parity between the individuals.
  • Dismissal of Standard Themes: The speaker condemns usual literary devices like sorrow and metaphors of suffering, choosing positive descriptions.
  • Artistic Artistry: The application of varied verse measures and rhythm showcases the poet's expertise in composition, producing a smooth and captivating text.
Abundant Nature's hoard (which is the Bard's Treasure)
I’l spend, to adorn
One's beauties, if your Source of Joy
In matching gratitude
One but unlock, so we each other favor.

This verse captures the core bargain, where the author vows to use his inventive talents to praise the maiden, in exchange for her receptiveness. This language blends devout overtones with earthly yearnings, adding complexity to the verse's message.

Katrina Jennings
Katrina Jennings

A seasoned automation engineer with over a decade of experience in optimizing industrial processes and mentoring future innovators.