For Anne Gregory

Song Meaning

The poem opens with a direct address, a young man's plea to Anne Gregory. He warns her that no one will ever love her for her true self because of her striking physical attribute: her 'yellow hair.' This hair is described as 'great honey-coloured ramparts,' a powerful image suggesting both beauty and a barrier, something that distracts from the person within. The narrator's advice is stark: 'Love you for yourself alone / And not your yellow hair.' Anne's immediate response reveals a pragmatic, almost defiant, understanding of this dynamic. She counters that she can simply alter her appearance, using 'hair-dye' to change her 'yellow hair' to 'Brown, or black, or carrot.' Her goal is to achieve the very thing the young man claims is impossible: to be loved 'for myself alone.' This highlights a central tension: the difficulty of being seen beyond superficial qualities in a world that often prioritizes them. The poem then introduces a third voice, an 'old religious man,' who offers a profound, almost cynical, theological perspective. He claims to have found proof that 'only God, my dear / Could love you for yourself alone.' This elevates the initial problem to a divine level, suggesting that even human love, with all its complexities and superficialities, falls short of pure, unconditional acceptance. It implies that Anne's quest, and perhaps everyone's, is ultimately an impossible one in the human realm. This layered dialogue effectively crafts a poignant commentary on appearance versus essence. The contrast between the young man's romantic ideal, Anne's practical solution, and the religious man's ultimate truth creates a rich, melancholic texture. The poem works by presenting these distinct viewpoints, leaving the reader to ponder the elusive nature of genuine love and the societal pressures that obscure true selfhood.