To a Lady Who Wished Me to Love Her

Now you have bestowed me permission to love,
What will you respond?
Will I your mirth, or emotion move,
Once I begin to court;
Shall you torment, or mock, or cherish me too?

Every minor charm can disdain, and I
Spight of your dislike
Absent your permission can perceive, and perish;
Dispense a grander Fate!
’Tis easy to demolish, you can create.

Thus grant me leave to love, & love me too
Without purpose
To uplift, as Loves damned rebels behave
As complaining Versifiers whine,
Renown to their beauty, from their tearful eyes.

Sorrow is a pond and reflects not bright
Your charm's beams;
Delights are clear streams, your gaze appear
Sullen in more sorrowful layes,
In joyful lines they radiate bright with praise.

That may not allude to express you lovely
Injuries, fires, and shafts,
Tempests in your countenance, traps in your locks,
Suborning all your attributes,
Either to trick, or torture trapped souls.

I’ll cause your vision like morning suns appear,
Just as gentle, and lovely;
One's forehead as glass smooth, and transparent,
While your dishevelled locks
Will drift like a serene Region of the Atmosphere.

Rich Nature's store (which is the Writer's Treasure)
I will use, to adorn
Your graces, if your Mine of Joy
With equal thankfulness
Thou but release, so we one another grace.

Delving into the Verse's Motifs

This work examines the dynamics of passion and admiration, as the narrator speaks to a maiden who desires his affection. Rather, he offers a reciprocal arrangement of literary admiration for personal delights. The phraseology is graceful, mixing polished norms with frank expressions of longing.

In the lines, the writer rejects usual themes of unrequited affection, like sorrow and lamentation, claiming they cloud true beauty. He favors delight and acclaim to showcase the lady's features, vowing to portray her gaze as shining stars and her locks as drifting atmosphere. The technique underscores a realistic yet clever perspective on relationships.

Significant Aspects of the Piece

• Shared Exchange: The work centers on a proposal of admiration in exchange for delight, emphasizing equality between the parties.
• Spurning of Conventional Ideas: The speaker disparages common literary devices like sorrow and imagery of anguish, choosing positive depictions.
• Poetic Artistry: The employment of varied verse measures and flow demonstrates the author's proficiency in verse, producing a smooth and compelling text.

Wealthy Nature's store (which is the Bard's Treasure)
I’l expend, to adorn
One's beauties, if your Source of Joy
With equall gratitude
You but unlock, so we one another favor.

This section encapsulates the core arrangement, as the writer pledges to employ his creative abilities to celebrate the woman, in exchange for her receptiveness. The language mixes devout hints with earthly yearnings, providing depth to the verse's theme.