I would
Love you ten years before the Flood;
And you should, if you please, refuse

from Andrew Marvell – To His Coy Mistress on Rap Genius

“Refers to Genesis 6-9 and the image of the incredibly pious Noah et al in his ark after forty days and forty nights of rain; in conjunction with lines 9-10 ‘And you should, if you please, refuse Till the conversion of the Jews’ sets up the period of time of which his mistress may take to consider his proposition. Obviously this is an impossibly infinite time frame which makes it a both an idealistic thought and romantic gesture.” See more.

He’s saying that he’s always loved her, and always will. She, however, continues to refuse his offers of love and happiness. He patiently waits for her, and will do so until she finally agrees.

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