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Given that you bestowed me leave to love,
What will you respond?
Am I to your delight, or ardor arouse,
When I begin to court;
Will you distress, or disdain, or adore me too?

Every minor beauty can scorn, and I
In spite of your dislike
Without your leave can perceive, and die;
Grant a loftier Destiny!
It's simple to demolish, you can form.

Therefore grant me consent to love, & love me too
Not with purpose
To elevate, as Affection's damned insurgents act
When complaining Versifiers lament,
Renown to their grace, from their weeping eyes.

Sadness is a puddle and mirrors not clear
Your beauty’s lights;
Delights are untainted currents, your vision appear
Sullen in more sorrowful verses,
In cheerfull verses they gleam brilliant with praise.

That may not refer to express you lovely
Injuries, fires, and shafts,
Storms in your countenance, traps in your locks,
Suborning all your parts,
Or to betray, or afflict ensnared affections.

I’ll render your gaze like morning stars look,
Just as mild, and fair;
Your forehead as crystal even, and transparent,
While your unkempt locks
May flow like a serene Zone of the Air.

Wealthy Nature’s hoard (which is the Poet’s Wealth)
I shall expend, to embellish
Your beauties, if your Mine of Pleasure
With matching gratitude
You but unlock, so we mutually grace.

Exploring the Poem's Motifs

The composition explores the relationship of affection and admiration, where the poet addresses a maiden who requests his devotion. Conversely, he suggests a mutual exchange of artistic praise for private pleasures. This language is refined, mixing courtly traditions with candid utterances of longing.

Through the stanzas, the writer spurns common tropes of one-sided affection, including sadness and lamentation, arguing they dim true beauty. He prefers happiness and admiration to emphasize the woman's qualities, promising to render her gaze as shining orbs and her tresses as drifting atmosphere. This approach highlights a pragmatic yet artful outlook on relationships.

Key Elements of the Composition

• Shared Exchange: The poem revolves on a proposal of tribute in return for pleasure, highlighting balance between the individuals.
• Rejection of Conventional Motifs: The poet condemns typical literary techniques like sadness and metaphors of suffering, favoring positive descriptions.
• Artistic Artistry: The employment of varied verse lengths and flow displays the poet's expertise in verse, forming a graceful and engaging read.

Wealthy The natural world's hoard (which is the Bard's Wealth)
I will expend, to adorn
Thy charms, if your Mine of Pleasure
In equal gratitude
Thou but open, so we mutually favor.

The verse encapsulates the central deal, where the poet promises to utilize his inventive talents to celebrate the lady, as compensation for her receptiveness. The wording mixes devout hints with worldly desires, giving complexity to the poem's theme.