Song Meaning
This poem opens with a desperate plea to reclaim one's senses, specifically eyes and heart, which have been corrupted by an intense focus on another person. The narrator feels their "long stray'd eyes" have "learn'd such ill," adopting "forced fashions, And false passions" that render them "Fit for no good sight." Similarly, the heart, once pure, is now tainted, taught by the beloved "To make jestings Of protestings, And cross both Word and oath." The narrator is essentially saying these parts of themselves are no longer their own, having been irrevocably changed by the other's influence.
The central tension lies in the narrator's conflicted desire: they want their heart and eyes back, but only on the condition that they can use them to witness and revel in the other person's downfall. The plea isn't for restoration to innocence, but for the tools to exact revenge. The narrator wants to "know, and see thy lies" and "laugh and joy, when thou Art in anguish." This reveals a profound bitterness, where reclaiming oneself is tied to the satisfaction of seeing the other suffer.
The most striking craft element is the conditional return. The narrator insists on keeping the corrupted eyes and heart if they are no longer capable of their original function, but then flips it: "Keep it, for then 'tis none of mine." This is a powerful way to disown the self that has been shaped by the toxic relationship. The repeated structure of "Send home my..." followed by the reasons why it's been spoiled, and then the conditional acceptance or rejection, builds a sense of escalating resentment and a desperate, yet vengeful, attempt at self-possession.
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