The Argument of His Book

The references to “bridegrooms,” “brides,” and “bridal-cakes” (Line 4) serve as imagery having to do with marriage. Marriage denotes unity—a melding together of different people and parts. Just as marriage brings together individuals, the speaker of Herrick’s poem marries together different topics as the subjects of their songs and writings. Natural imagery of spring combines with imagery of trade goods and folklore. Marriage serves as the perfect symbolism for what the speaker is effectively doing in their verses and what any poet does when constructing a text: They merge potentially disparate subjects together to form a cohesive whole. Such is the role of a creator—of a poet.

Herrick’s poem opens with natural imagery of spring and references to the spring months. The speaker comments on celebrations typically held during the springtime. Throughout the poem, topics associated with the spring are mentioned as well, such as “flowers” (Line 2), “dews” (Line 7), and “rains” (Line 7). Springtime evokes thoughts of new life, of birth, and of creation. Asking readers to consider the possibilities that come with spring opens them up to the possibilities the text can bring. Since Herrick’s poem is placed at the opening of Hesperides and is an “argument” for what the reader is to see in the text, beginning with notions of the spring is an efficacious rhetorical move on Herrick’s part.