To a Lady Who Desired I Would Love Her

Given that you freely given me leave to love,
How will you do?
Shall I your mirth, or passion arouse,
Once I start to pursue;
Shall you distress, or scorn, or love me too?

All trivial beauty can reject, and I
In spite of your dislike
Without your consent can observe, and succumb;
Bestow a loftier Fate!
It is effortless to demolish, you may create.

Thus grant me permission to cherish, & cherish me too
Lacking purpose
To raise, as Love's cursed defiers do
While whining Bards lament,
Acclaim to their grace, from their weeping eyes.

Grief is a pond and shows not clear
One's beauty’s beams;
Joys are pure streams, your gaze look
Sullen in more sorrowful layes,
Within joyful lines they radiate brilliant with prayse.

Which shall not mention to portray you fayr
Wounds, fires, and darts,
Storms in your countenance, snares in your hayr,
Suborning all your attributes,
Either to trick, or torment trapped souls.

I shall cause your vision like dawn suns look,
Like gentle, and fayr;
One's brow as glass even, and clear,
And your tousled locks
Will stream like a tranquil Zone of the Atmosphere.

Abundant The natural world's hoard (which is the Bard's Riches)
I will expend, to embellish
One's graces, if your Mine of Pleasure
Through equal appreciation
One but open, so we mutually grace.

Examining the Verse's Themes

This piece delves the interplay of passion and praise, in which the poet speaks to a lady who desires his love. Instead, he suggests a shared arrangement of artistic admiration for personal pleasures. This phraseology is refined, blending refined norms with frank utterances of longing.

Within the lines, the poet dismisses typical tropes of one-sided love, including sorrow and tears, stating they obscure true beauty. He chooses joy and admiration to emphasize the maiden's qualities, vowing to portray her gaze as bright suns and her locks as drifting air. This approach underscores a practical yet clever view on connections.

Significant Elements of the Work

  • Reciprocal Agreement: The poem revolves on a proposal of praise in trade for pleasure, stressing balance between the individuals.
  • Rejection of Traditional Ideas: The speaker criticizes typical artistic devices like grief and metaphors of anguish, choosing positive imagery.
  • Creative Skill: The application of mixed verse patterns and cadence demonstrates the writer's expertise in composition, creating a fluid and engaging read.
Abundant Nature’s store (which is the Bard's Riches)
I will expend, to adorn
Thy charms, if your Source of Delight
With equall appreciation
One but unlock, so we each other bless.

The stanza captures the essential deal, in which the author promises to utilize his creative abilities to celebrate the lady, as compensation for her willingness. This wording blends devout hints with earthly longings, providing profundity to the verse's theme.

Shawn Huffman
Shawn Huffman

A passionate mixed-media artist and educator, sharing techniques and stories to inspire creativity in others.