Song — Summary

Love me with your whole heart Or give no love to me,

Half-love is a poor thing, Neither bond nor free.

You must love me gladly Soul and body too, Or else find a new love, And good-by to you.

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The speaker makes a simple demand: love me completely, or don't love me at all. There's no room in the middle. She calls half-love "a poor thing," and the line "Neither bond nor free" explains why. Someone who loves halfway is not truly committed, but not truly released either, so both people end up stuck in an uncomfortable in-between.

The second stanza spells out what she wants. The love must be given "gladly," and it must include "soul and body too." Gladness matters here. She isn't asking for duty or reluctant loyalty, but for real happiness in loving her. If that isn't on offer, she tells her partner to "find a new love" and says goodbye.

The mood is firm and self-respecting, with a hint of hurt underneath. The short lines and plain words make her sound direct, like someone who has thought it through and won't be talked out of it. The final "good-by to you" lands like a door closing.

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