Your Lover (Part I)

Dark am I like the tents of Kedar, like the tent curtains of Solomon; yet, I am lovely- coming up from the desert in a column of smoke perfumed with myrrh and incense made from spices wearing my crown. I have come to seal you upon my heart, so arise my love. Show me your face. Let me hear your voice for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely. Be my queen. You have made my heart rejoice. Let me kiss you with the kisses of my mouth that you may know my love is more delightful than wine. Come away with me; I will lead you. Let me take you... into my chambers. Precious and of great price in our house of stone, made of cedar beams and rafters of fir, behold our bed- the chamber for our love. Threescore valiant warriors shall guard it about being expert in war holding flaming swords because of the fear in the night. Our marriage bed is carved of the wood of Lebanon with four pillars of silver with golden bases. Its interior is inlaid with gifts of love for you and me alone. It's covered and surrounded by a canopy of purple for this time of rapture. Let me remove your flowing robe and caress your body. Hold me and do not let me go. Let me be a sachet of myrrh resting between your breasts, and as a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi. Let us drink each other's wines, which go down sweetly and cause our lips to speak, even as we sleep. As we sleep, you are flesh of my flesh and bone of my bones. Eye to eye and nose to nose, we two are one in body, soul and spirit, and I will always love you and cleave unto you, my wife. I will live joyfully with you all my days, for you are as the loving hind and pleasant roe; gracefully, you captivate my heart. You take my breath away. Does your heart pound for me? I knock for you. Open for me. Tell me, Is your lover outstanding? Am I charming, though our bed is verdant? Tell me so. What do you see? Is your lover far better than others? Tell me so. Am I the fairest among ten thousand?