Saint Bernard of Clairvaux,
monk of a silent order
writing what he could not speak,
writes of love for brother monks
without embarrassment;
expatiates upon the Song of Songs,
erotic metaphor, with passionate, pure heart;
finds so many Latin terms
for all the shades of love,
of which we can translate to English speech
but a modest few – love, delight, affection, charity,
true friendliness; the glowing heart…
Then, pen laid down, the saint
returns to narrow cell – and love:
in silence, stillness, solitude,
pursues translation’s lifelong art,
but now beyond all words;
holy love into the human heart.
Oh, how to report to truth
the many shades of love..