If we were to weep in contemplation of your ruby-red lips, then every piece of our bleeding heart that falls from our eyes would turn out to be a priceless jewel.
Here, the poet is completely captivated by the memory of the beloved's ruby-red lips. In classical poetry, intense grief often makes the lover cry tears of blood—quite literally shedding fragments of a broken heart. Yet the poet suggests that because these tears flow from imagining such exquisite lips, each drop is transfigured from raw sorrow into a rare and priceless gem. It is a striking portrayal of how devotion can elevate deep heartbreak into enduring beauty.
Interpretation note: meanings and explanations may be AI-assisted and should not replace a primary text or scholarly edition. See the editorial policy.
Audio
Free — just your email. You'll come right back here.
No comments yet. Be the first.
