14 Charming Stanzas about Love

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^{The beauty, depth and playfulness of love}

Ten years ago, I wrote these 14 stanzas about love in German, which have been altered slightly but still retain their beauty, depth, and playfulness.

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Later on, I decided to translate these 14 stanzas into English. It is not a word-to-word translation, as these are two different languages. So you can read the German and English versions in all 14 stanzas as two diverse poems with similar meanings.

If you prefer a word-for-word translation, I recommend using a browser to translate the German version instead of switching to the English page. You can read whichever version you prefer.

A Love Poem in 14 Charming Stanzas

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Love is...

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…the gentle kiss which touches your cheek
this tender whisper of your palm
The gaze within you quiet and calm
that gentle bond tenderly weaved

…the wild consuming flame
when your heart is on fire
The voice of desperate desire
when your fear is to blame

...when you are stammering breathlessly
and struggle for words desperately
The madness that seizes you
when you silence it without having a clue

…the rose you give to your beloved
her beauty as red as blood
A sleepless night’s bliss
for every thought is sealed with a kiss

…your scent – it’s taking her in chain
keeps the memory alive like a new
The mysterious desire within you
draws you to her again and again

…the pain you hide behind your bitter slur
when you think you will die of her
Your heroic courage is going to stay
even if this longing never goes away

…the flood of tears you cry
when you think you have lost a high
And yet it is the light
despite your soul speaking from its shadow side.

…your emotions of intimacy
after a long journey’s return
Everlasting connectivity
when you move on in space and time

…the harmony of every string in you
makes each and everything vibrate thru and thru
The music of eternity
is singing its song of never-fading beauty

…the unleashed force of nature
that ignites a galactic storm
To be found in every form
from you to a tiny atom

…the essence that holds this world together at its core
without there is no trace of life in store
The force that gives life to matter
creates the miracles of life for a better

...the lie if you don’t believe
and you run from thereof
You cannot control it as you need
nor you can choose who you love

… the forgiveness of all guilt in divine mint
if you are aware of the golden hint
The timeless witness of serene patience is seen
for what it is and always has been

… the goodness in all its gentle embrace
the divine’s light of grace
And never love is tired – always on spot  
whether you recognize it or not

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All Rights Reserved 2015-2024 © Carminia Philia

Did you know?

In stanzas, poets such as Catullus and Ovid wrote works dedicated to the love between man and woman.

In the Middle Ages, the art of minstrelsy captured the hearts of aristocratic ladies in particular. This mostly German-language courtly love poetry is associated with great names such as Wolfram von Eschenbach and Walter von der Vogelweide, who alone wrote more than 90 minnesongs. And even today, the beauty of a love poem puts us in a gentle mood and invites us to dream. Wikipedia can indeed be a source of inspiration. A short essay on the topic Love poetry - Wikipedia.

The Evolution of the Love Poem is a contribution from the New York Public Library. The essay is in English, but nowadays almost every browser can provide acceptable translations.

Picture credits: Ut Pictura Poesis 1745-1746 Charles-François Hutin (French, 1715-1776)

Do you want more love? Then I recommend my timeless love poem: "When Eternity its Silence Breaks"