In Robert Herrick’s poem, The Vine, the author recounts an erotic dream about his lover, Lucia. In the dream, his “mortal part” is “metamorphosed to a vine” that surrounds his lover. The vine reference is presumably phallic, and I was somewhat surprised by Herrick’s blatant sexual aggression. The repetition of the word “enthralled” to describe the vine’s effect on Lucia highlights this aggression, and she is described as a prisoner who “could not freely stir.” Although Herrick’s early tone is highly sexualized and almost disturbingly aggressive, his humor towards the end is a reminder that the poem is merely recounting a dream. His ability to poke fun at himself and his dream lightens the overall tone of the poem.