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Now you have freely given me leave to love,
How will you do?
Shall I your mirth, or ardor stir,
Once I commence court;
Do you distress, or mock, or cherish me too?

Each petty beauty can reject, and I
Despite your hate
Absent your permission can see, and perish;
Grant a loftier Lot!
It's simple to ruin, you may create.

Then allow me permission to cherish, & love me too
Not with purpose
To elevate, as Affection's damned defiers do
While whining Bards lament,
Renown to their beauty, from their blubber’d eyne.

Sorrow is a pool and reflects not distinct
One's charm's rayes;
Joys are pure streames, your eyes seem
Gloomy in gloomier songs,
Through joyful verses they shine bright with praise.

What shall not refer to describe you lovely
Harms, blazes, and shafts,
Gales in your countenance, nets in your locks,
Corrupting all your features,
Or else to trick, or torment captive hearts.

I shall cause your gaze like morning suns seem,
Just as mild, and lovely;
Your countenance as Crystall polished, and transparent,
While your unkempt locks
May stream like a serene Area of the Air.

Wealthy Nature's treasury (which is the Bard's Wealth)
I shall use, to embellish
Thy charms, if your Mine of Joy
Through equall appreciation
Thou but open, so we one another favor.

Exploring the Verse's Ideas

This piece examines the dynamics of love and acclaim, where the poet speaks to a lady who requests his devotion. Conversely, he proposes a reciprocal arrangement of artistic praise for personal delights. The wording is graceful, combining polished traditions with frank statements of longing.

In the stanzas, the writer spurns typical motifs of unrequited love, like grief and tears, arguing they dim true grace. He prefers happiness and acclaim to showcase the maiden's attributes, promising to portray her eyes as bright orbs and her tresses as streaming breeze. The technique emphasizes a realistic yet skillful view on relationships.

Key Elements of the Work

• Shared Exchange: The poem focuses on a offer of praise in trade for enjoyment, highlighting balance between the persons.
• Rejection of Standard Themes: The narrator criticizes typical artistic devices like sorrow and similes of suffering, preferring optimistic descriptions.
• Poetic Skill: The use of diverse line lengths and rhythm displays the poet's expertise in verse, creating a graceful and engaging text.

Wealthy Nature’s treasury (which is the Writer's Treasure)
I shall use, to dress
One's charms, if your Source of Delight
With matching appreciation
You but open, so we each other favor.

This stanza captures the core deal, where the author vows to use his creative abilities to celebrate the lady, as compensation for her willingness. The language combines spiritual overtones with worldly longings, giving complexity to the verse's meaning.