Raleigh's "The Nymph's Reply"

In response to  the post about Sir Walter Raleigh's "The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd", I would argue that it is not an allegory relating to his relationship with Queen Elizabeth at all,  and could be considered a direct response to Marlowe's poem "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love".  The title itself clues the reader in right away to its connection to Marlowe's poem and it becomes clear through the content as well.  "The Passionate Shepherd" is an idealistic poem, filled with romantic and pastoral imagery.  To me, it is a typical sugary love poem in which the ideas of perfection, beauty and nature are intertwined.  Raleigh's reply hints of an a more realistic world; a world that changes, evolves and grows old.  Raleigh seems to be saying that only if aging and changing weren't a part of our existence, then a love and life like the shepherd's could be possible.
It is indeed possible his cynical tone is a result of his life experiences involving Queen Elizabeth.  They were rumored to be lovers, and so it seems reasonable to believe that his imprisonment due to his marriage stemmed from jealousy or anger from a scorned Elizabeth.  Obviously his personal biography has influenced his ideas on love and has made him less adept at seeing things positively or idealistically.