Christopher Smart’s short birthday tribute to his wife Nancy is a burst of joyful hyperbole. The poem’s structure is simple: each stanza introduces a different classical figure—the Graces for elegance, Venus for beauty, Pallas for wisdom, Diana for chastity—only to dismiss them in Nancy’s favor. He calls on these deities to insist that Nancy outshines every one, and each stanza ends with the same affectionate refrain: “Nancy, who was born for me.” The comparisons are playful and exaggerated; they simply show how completely she fills his world.
The mood is warm, intimate, and buoyant. The repeated line has a gentle possessiveness, but it feels celebratory, as if the speaker can’t believe his luck. In the final stanza, he brings in Cupid, Hymen, and Jove, swearing life would be worthless without her. It’s a charming, light-hearted love poem that turns a personal occasion into a witty game of classical one-upmanship.