For a Lady That Wished I Would Love Her

Since you've granted me leave to love,
How will you act?
Am I to your delight, or passion arouse,
Once I begin to court;
Will you torment, or mock, or love me too?

Every minor grace can scorn, and I
Despite your aversion
Absent your consent can see, and perish;
Bestow a loftier Destiny!
It's simple to ruin, you can create.

Then grant me leave to adore, & love me too
Not with design
To raise, as Love's damned defiers act
As whining Poets lament,
Fame to their grace, from their tearful eyes.

Sadness is a pool and mirrors not clear
Thy grace's beams;
Joyes are clear streames, your gaze seem
Gloomy in sadder songs,
Through happy numbers they gleam brilliant with acclaim.

That will not allude to portray you fayr
Injuries, fires, and darts,
Gales in your forehead, snares in your hayr,
Bribing all your features,
Or to betray, or torment trapped souls.

I will render your gaze like sunrise orbs seem,
As mild, and fair;
Thy countenance as crystal polished, and clear,
Whereas your unkempt locks
Shall drift like a serene Area of the Air.

Wealthy Nature’s treasury (which is the Poet’s Wealth)
I shall expend, to adorn
One's beauties, if your Wellspring of Delight
With matching appreciation
One but open, so we each other bless.

Exploring the Poem's Ideas

This work explores the interplay of love and admiration, in which the poet speaks to a maiden who requests his love. Conversely, he offers a mutual exchange of artistic admiration for personal favors. The language is graceful, blending courtly traditions with frank utterances of desire.

Through the lines, the writer dismisses typical tropes of unrequited passion, such as sadness and tears, claiming they dim true grace. The speaker chooses delight and admiration to highlight the maiden's qualities, promising to depict her vision as shining suns and her tresses as drifting air. The technique highlights a pragmatic yet clever view on bonds.

Important Aspects of the Composition

• Reciprocal Exchange: The work focuses on a offer of praise in return for pleasure, stressing equality between the persons.
• Dismissal of Traditional Ideas: The narrator criticizes common artistic tools like sorrow and metaphors of pain, favoring optimistic imagery.
• Creative Artistry: The employment of mixed verse patterns and cadence displays the poet's proficiency in poetry, producing a fluid and compelling read.

Abundant Nature's hoard (which is the Poet’s Wealth)
I shall expend, to embellish
Thy charms, if your Source of Delight
With matching appreciation
You but open, so we mutually favor.

The verse encapsulates the essential deal, where the author promises to utilize his artistic gifts to praise the maiden, in exchange for her willingness. This phraseology combines pious overtones with worldly yearnings, adding depth to the verse's message.