The Lady's Yes

[Dark Muse]

This is a poem I have come across and it struck my interest, not only did I find it enjoyable to read, but I am curious as to the nature and meaning behind the poem, for I could read a couple of things into it.

The Lady's Yes

"Yes," I answered you last night;
"No," this morning, Sir, I say.
Colours seen by candlelight,
Will not look the same by day.

When the viols played their best,
Lamps above, and laughs below--
Love me sounded like a jest,
Fit for Yes or fit for No.

Call me false, or call me free--
Vow, whatever light may shine,
No man on your face shall see
Any grief for change on mine.

Yet the sin is on us both--
Time to dance is not to woo--
Wooer light makes fickle troth--
Scorn of me recoils on you.

Learn to win a lady's faith
Nobly, as the thing is high;
Bravely, as for life and death--
With a loyal gravity.

Lead her from the festive boards,
Point her to the starry skies,
Guard her, by your truthful words,
Pure from courtship's flatteries.

By your truth she shall be true--
Ever true, as wives of yore--
And her Yes, once said to you,
SHALL be Yes for evermore.


Is the poem meant to be a statement against women or men? Or an equal analysis of both?

In some regards at first it seems to be regarding a woman's fickleness, and the fact that she cannot make up her mind, or the way in which she might flirt in tease, where she was willing to charm her lover, and dance the ball with him, and play with him then, but after, she cast him aside, and only was using his affections.

Yet in a deeper reading of the poem, there seems to be another underlying story told. Particularly in the last few stanza's given.

The lines that particularly interest me are

Colours seen by candlelight,
Will not look the same by day.

Perhaps in gaiety of the dance, and with a flush of wine, the woman let herself be deceived by the man, and saw that he was not what she thought, and upon coming the truth she turned him away, until he could come to her in honesty.

This poem can always been seen as a statement in modesty in general if you look at the lines:

Yet the sin is on us both--
Time to dance is not to woo--
Wooer light makes fickle troth--
Scorn of me recoils on you.

This line seems to say that both men and women might be given to act foolish, and act in a way they should not, or ought not to be trusted when they are concerned with their physical wants and pleasures,

as the following stanzas seem to suggest, it seems to be saying, if you truly wish to win the lady, or if a lady should be with a man, they should stray from idol pleasures, if it is sincerity that they seek.