VersesCentral imageSense or device1242 black she-camelsvisual simile13teeth and kisssight and taste14–15musk and fresh meadowtwo scent comparisons16–17clouds, hollows, flowing watermotion and gleam18–19fly’s buzzing and rubbingauditory and kinetic simile
The long meadow description remains an expansion of the beloved’s fragrance. By translating a single quality into several sensory impressions, the poet makes an otherwise intangible scent vividly imaginable.
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ʿAntarah ibn Shaddād: Fragrance, Rain-fed Meadow and Sensory Similes (verses 12–19)
VersesCentral imageSense or device1242 black she-camelsvisual simile13teeth and kisssight and taste14–15musk and fresh meadowtwo scent comparisons16–17clouds, hollows, flowing watermotion and gleam18–19fly’s buzzing and rubbingauditory and kinetic simile
The long meadow description remains an expansion of the beloved’s fragrance. By translating a single quality into several sensory impressions, the poet makes an otherwise intangible scent vividly imaginable.