Matthew Prior: A Better Answer

Song Meaning

The narrator, Matthew Prior, addresses his lover, Cloe, who is upset about something he's written. He dismisses her tears, suggesting she's overreacting to mere "wit" rather than genuine sentiment. He frames her distress as a triviality, contrasting it with the supposed purpose of her beauty, which is to inspire "Love and Joy." The plea to "quit this Caprice" and talk like "Folks of This World" immediately sets up a tension between his artistic persona and his desire for grounded affection. The core conflict lies in the narrator's perceived separation between his public, artistic self and his private, emotional self. He argues that his "Verse" is a playful exploration, a "whimsie," while his true feelings are reserved for Cloe in "Prose." This distinction is crucial: his written words, meant to be light and witty, have inadvertently caused pain, leading him to defend the sincerity of his underlying affection. The lyrics suggest a struggle to reconcile the performative nature of art with the authenticity of personal relationships. Prior employs a striking metaphor to illustrate this divide: "I court others in Verse; but I love Thee in Prose." This contrast highlights his artistic practice of addressing multiple muses in poetry while reserving his genuine love for Cloe in a more direct, unadorned form. He further develops this with the image of the sun, which "sets up his Rest" with Thetis after its daily journey. This celestial analogy reinforces the idea that his artistic wanderings are temporary, and Cloe represents his ultimate haven, his "Home" after a day of "wand'ring." This lyrical construction is effective because it offers a sophisticated defense of artistic license while simultaneously affirming deep personal commitment. The narrator doesn't deny his writing; instead, he reframes it as a necessary part of his creative process, distinct from his core feelings. By likening their potential reconciliation to "Horace and Lydia," he elevates their relationship, suggesting it has the potential for a celebrated, classical harmony, even as he humbly acknowledges his own poetic limitations compared to Horace. The ultimate message is one of reassurance: despite his artistic dalliances, Cloe holds his true heart.