Tell me not (Sweet) I am unkind
-- Speaker (Line 1)

Importance: This quotation introduces the first part of the poem’s premise: a man leaving a woman behind. It is written in a tender direct address. “Sweet,” which he calls her, was a common term of affection between lovers during the early modern period (1). Lovers who were unfaithful or did inconsiderate were often called “unkind”, a word which has since grown to have a more general meaning. Here, though, these descriptive terms serve to create a clear sense of the relationship between the speaker and the lover he is addressing.

The nunnery of thy chaste breast and quiet mind
-- Speaker (Line 3)

Importance: These lines are often misread, giving readers the impression that Lucasta is meant to be literally a nun. The juxtaposition of “chaste breast” and “nunnery” can imply this to readers (2-3). However, the nunnery is only metaphorical, an imagined place of respite and peace. Lucasta...