Parfüm der Liebe (Love’s Perfume)

My dearest’s eyes are nothing like the sun,
Her lips cannot match life’s red, not one;

If snow is white, her breasts are dun to sight,
Her hair like fire, red as stars delight.

I’ve seen roses, in colors bright and bold,
But none in her cheeks do I behold;

And in some scents there’s greater delight
than in the breath that from my love takes flight.

I love to hear her speak, though music’s strains

Which holds greater enchantment, ’tis truth I maintain;
I’ve ne’er seen a goddess, but my love walks the earth,
And when she treads, it’s with mortal girth.

Yet, by heaven, I deem my love so rare,
As any that false comparisons ensnare.

:: 04.30.2023 ::

Poet’s Notes:

The poem “Parfüm der Liebe (Love’s Perfume)” is a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130, with some variations in wording and imagery. The speaker describes his lover in unconventional terms, comparing her to elements that are not traditionally associated with beauty. The contrast between the natural and the idealized forms of beauty is a central theme of the poem.

The first quatrain compares the lover’s eyes and lips to the sun and coral, respectively, and finds them lacking. The second quatrain continues the unconventional imagery, comparing her breasts to dun-colored snow and her hair to black wires. In the third quatrain, the speaker admits to having seen more beautiful roses than those found in his lover’s cheeks, and suggests that some scents are more delightful than the breath of his beloved.

In the final couplet, however, the speaker asserts that his love is rare and precious, even if it does not conform to conventional beauty standards. The poem suggests that true love transcends appearances and external attributes, and that it is the inner qualities of a person that truly matter.

Overall, “Parfüm der Liebe (Love’s Perfume)” is a thought-provoking adaptation of a classic sonnet that challenges traditional notions of beauty and love, and emphasizes the importance of seeing beyond appearances.