Shall I strive with words to move

Song Meaning

The narrator grapples with the futility of expressing his feelings when his efforts seem to go unnoticed. He questions the point of speaking when his words fail to please or even be heard. This sets up a central tension: the overwhelming need to communicate his deep affection versus the painful reality that his pleas are being ignored. His grief is a restless anguish, a wound that only she knows but refuses to heal. The lyrics suggest a profound sense of helplessness, as he acknowledges that all woes eventually end, but his patience is being tested by her unresponsiveness. He longs for time to somehow change her heart and make her loving towards him. The poem uses natural imagery to highlight his desperate hope. Storms eventually calm, and he wonders why she cannot cease her frowning and accept his affection. He directly appeals to "sweet Love" to intervene, asking it to help her hands "crown" his affection, implying a desire for her acceptance to be the ultimate validation of his love. Ultimately, the narrator's plea is one of earnest devotion. He declares he wooed and loved only her, and now he begs for her to "answer my desire." The effectiveness lies in this raw, almost childlike appeal, contrasting the grandiosity of his love with the simple, direct language of his final request.