What shall I do to show

Song Meaning

The lyrics immediately plunge into a speaker's desperate quest to express an all-consuming love. He's convinced that "common methods of love" won't suffice, suggesting a unique, perhaps unattainable, object of affection. His opening questions, "What shall I do to show" and "How many millions of sighs can suffice?", paint a picture of a mind overwhelmed and searching for an extraordinary gesture. This intense devotion quickly reveals its paradoxical nature. The speaker vows to "love more than man," predicting a love so suffocating that she'll eventually implore him to temper his affection. This isn't just hyperbole; it's a chilling self-awareness that his own overwhelming affection might be the very thing that threatens "our delight." The love he offers is so potent it risks consuming itself. The narrative then takes a surprisingly philosophical turn, moving beyond personal obsession to a darker, universal observation. The lines about "breathing recruits for new joys" and the claim that "eager love more than sorrows destroys" offer a stark contrast to his initial romantic fervor. Here, the lyrics suggest that intense, unyielding love isn't just difficult; it's fundamentally destructive, perhaps even more so than grief or pain. It's a profound, almost cynical, insight into the limits of human affection. Ultimately, this destructive intensity culminates in a morbidly romantic fantasy. The speaker imagines "In fair Aurelia's arms" expiring, desiring death as the ultimate proof of his unwavering devotion.