Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show, / That she, dear she, might take some pleasure of my pain
-- Speaker (Lines 1 – 2)

Importance: These are the opening lines of the poem. They introduce both the speaker's inspiration for writing – he is experiencing unrequited love – as well as his desire to communicate his feelings through poetry. The speaker says that he loves "in truth" but desires to express himself in verse. The word "fain" suggests that the speaker perceives verse as a mimicry of true feeling, suggesting that it will be difficult for him to convey the true extent of his love in his words.

Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know, / Knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain–
-- Speaker (Lines 3 – 4)

Importance: In this quotation, the speaker imagines that Stella, his beloved, will be transformed by the power of his poetry. He speaks with idealism, here, of course, as he fantasizes...