Alas, who ever wrote an amulet to make this girl a slave, and who ever recited a spell to fulfill my longing and desire?
In this couplet, the poet playfully laments the sheer helplessness of his wild longing through the imagery of charms and enchantments. He sighs and asks who could have ever written an amulet powerful enough to bind the elusive beloved to him, and what spell could possibly cure or quiet his relentless desire. It captures the intoxicating tension between an unreachable beauty and an all-consuming passion that defies all magic.
Interpretation note: meanings and explanations may be AI-assisted and should not replace a primary text or scholarly edition. See the editorial policy.
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