You’re the scent of moss-rose, amber, dew
a starlit sky, the daisy meadow late in June.
You’re the sense of thunder, the wind that blew
a bashful breeze of lavender ‘cross dunes
and waves that siren me to lull me moored.
You are perfume of promises and lies,
of dirty linens and my sickness cured
on land of living and for the birds who died.
Perfume of you is carnosine and beige
a concoction cooked for my seduction
a cauldron coddling essence night and day.
You’re both creation and my dark destruction.
I’m tethered to temptation, to the fragrance
of your presence, to your waltz and cadence.
Edgar Degas
Today it’s Open Link with Sanaa hosting at dVerse, join us live for the first hour of the bar. I modified this old sonnet a bit, and thought it could be something to perform.
April 15, 2021
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Too much of a good thing, like a drrug. I kept taking deep breaths trying to smell all those wonders.
I liked “the wind blew a bashful breeze of lavender ‘cross dunes” Your olfactory references are clever and delicious. Your rhyme scheme is fresh, and the sonnet form shines for you
Wow, you really captured desire, Björn. Every word in the poem felt powerful to me.
-David
“Perfume of you is carnosine and beige, a concoction cooked for my seduction, a cauldron coddling essence night and day,”… this is absolutely exquisite, Bjorn! 😀 It was a pleasure hearing you read this tonight! 💝💝
That’s a strong attraction! (K)
Bjorn, one of your most passionate poems to date. Oh to be the target of such passion. I think spring weather brings it out. It feels so good to feel such friskiness.
This is really astounding poetry. I’m particularly fond of the opening (“You’re the scent of moss-rose”) and these:
“the sense of thunder”
“bashful breeze of lavender ‘cross”
“my sickness cured” (double meaning in “cured”)
“carnosine” (anti-aging)
“tethered … to your waltz and cadence”
What compelling artwork to accompany your piece.
Intoxicating. You have a way with words.
I especially like the ending,
“I’m tethered to temptation, to the fragrance
of your presence, to your waltz and cadence.”
Beautifully penned!
This poem rings a bell, Björn, and I’m glad it hasn’t lost any of its intense perfume in the reworking. Sonnets and the scents go well together. I love the thought of a ‘daisy meadow late in June’ and a ‘bashful breeze of lavender’, two of my favourite flowers and scents, which remind me of my grandfather’s garden. The perfumes in your sonnet crescendo, especially:
‘You are perfume of promises and lies,
of dirty linens and my sickness cured’
and
‘a concoction cooked for my seduction
a cauldron coddling essence night and day.
You’re both creation and my dark destruction’
and then collapse into the final couplet.
intense desire and passion ripple out … that last sentence says so much! Creation and destruction mingled
I love how you’ve avoided any kind of monotony in your sonnet in rhyme, rhythm and cadence, by filling it with gorgeous imagery and using assonance and slant rhyme. A delight to read and hear you read Bjorn!
I especially liked these lines:
“and waves that siren me to lull me moored.”
“a concoction cooked for my seduction”
And of course, I enjoyed your reading. 🙂
Such passion in the scents and images.
I really enjoyed hearing you read this. I know this is unintentional, but your accent gives the English words a lilting sound that added to the rhythm and rhyme of the sonnet.
This is beautiful and gentle Bjorn. Enjoyable to read.
You’re both creation and my dark destruction.
I’m tethered to temptation, to the fragrance
A classic play of contrast that impacts the reality of aroma. Great lines Bjorn!
Hank