Critical Commentary on Love Song

This poem is an emotional expression of love and appreciation an African maiden by a passionate young African boy. The situation in the poem is easy to grasp: the impetuous youth seems to have met the girl for whom he is crazy, and here he is picturing her in his mind and living to find appropriate words to describe her and express his feelings of love and appreciation towards her.

The whole poem is a series of desperate attempts to find suitable comparisons and descriptions to express his feelings.

The situation does not develop outwardly. Even the ideas don't move ahead coherently or logically, because each of his attempts fails and he tries one technique after another, often repeating some of them time and again. He begins by comparing the girl with local fruits and honey (lines 1/2). Then he tries to describe her body parts, leaving it incomplete (3-10). He expresses his awe; he is afraid to look at her (11/12). With more abstract metaphors, he goes on to compare her once more with some unusual things (13-16) to say how precious she is. While still appreciating her breast, he addresses to us and complains how she heartlessly stepped on his heart! (17-21). Finally, as if he realizes his failure, he makes the most powerful comparison of his girl with the image of God, whom he says the whole city of Jerusalem is worshipping, shouting 'holy holy "(22-24). At last, it seems that he faints in a mood of ecstasy.

The intention of the poet is also clear: he means to make the speaker praise his beloved and express his love in the most striking manner. The originality of metaphors and the intensity of the feelings suggest that  the speaker is not only full of youthful passion but is also a genius. The poem also gives us a peep into the sense of beauty, of the African (Ethiopian) people.

There are many striking features in the techniques of this poem. There is a complex and striking logical structure, remarkable choice of words and memorable figurative language. The key point, as stated above, is the expression of love. In short, this passionate young man wants to say, "I love you". This implicit theme is supported by various types of supporting materials: description, comparison expression of fear, the claim of her being precious and, despite her hurting him, his infinite appreciation. Logically, therefore, the whole poem could be summarized as "I love you because you are so beautiful like. . .with your attractive body parts and clothes, and so precious to me that, though I can't face you and though you've hurt me by neglecting me, I still appreciate and worship you"

The speaker supports his claim by using an analogy, opinion and the evidence of the description. It does look as if there is no organization because of the random line of thought on its surface. But, the external disorganization is necessary to suggest the impatience and naturalness of expression of the boy. But, we can logically reorganize these materials to see how they support the intention, despite those tricks.

The choice of words in the poem is remarkable. The speaker begins with striking original comparisons, choosing words with local connotations: "You lime of the forest, honey among the rocks/ Lemon of the cloister, grape in the savannah." Most probably the lime of the forest is a rare and valuable fruit. To hunt honey from hives in the rock is also obviously difficult and even dangerous, and this suggests how difficult it must be for this boy to get the girl. In the cloister (garden) the "lemon" grown with one's own efforts has its own charm. The fourth image may not be realistic, but if possible at all, how delighting it would be to find grapes in a barren pasture. That also suggests the uniqueness, rarity and beauty of the girl at least in the feelings of this boy. We can go on guessing the attitudes and emotions of the speaker as suggested by each of the images until the end. He seems to want to hold her hip with one hand, even though he is afraid to look at her. He seems to wish to hold her from the back and stare at it as if it were an obscure manuscript of religious hymns.

He describes her eyes as something to shoot heroes with, maybe including himself. Her grown and skirt are tender and soothing like balm. He has a fancy to rub himself against her. The painted calf suggests that the girl is African. The "water of paradise", the mysterious "flower of the night" and the following images develop the idea from concrete to abstract, with religious and mythical connotations. The girl is made by many divine craftsmen, as he claims in his second description. Envying her breast that is like gold, he finally compares her with the image of 'The Savior' expressing his sense of worship. The choice of words has made the poem very original and its expressions very suggestive.

The poem employs private metaphors with the diction of local colors and meaning. The figurative language does not contain traditional metaphors and symbols except the last allusion of the image of God in Jerusalem city, and Arabian scent. The images and metaphors develop from concrete to abstract, physical to spiritual and emotional to religiously ecstatic. The ending suggests a complete self-dedication of the speaker towards his beloved as one of the divine mysteries of creation and even as the image of God himself. The sentence structures become shorter as if the speaker becomes breathless in his panting. At the end, he mentally envisions her as a pilgrim envisions god himself after a long journey. He even claims that the whole city of Jerusalem is shouting: his love is holy and his lover is exaggerated as God himself.

The poem is incredibly beautiful and powerful in its expression of love. The originality of metaphors and the intensity of the passion are memorable. The structure of the poem, the naturalness of the situation and youthful emotion, and the simplicity of expression must also be appreciated. The way the speaker complains to us struck me with a note of sincerity in him. Above all, the poem is rich in meaning and powerful in passion and it communicates even without many traditional techniques and devices.