The following are excerpts from The Song of Solomon. I'm using this text to speak about marriage and sex at the Corrections Center tomorrow night.

Her thoughts of him - 

As an apricot tree stands out in the forest,
    my lover stands above the young men in town.
All I want is to sit in his shade,
    to taste and savor his delicious love.
He took me home with him for a festive meal,
    but his eyes feasted on me!

Oh! Give me something refreshing to eat—and quickly!
    Apricots, raisins—anything. I’m about to faint with love!
His left hand cradles my head,
    and his right arm encircles my waist!

  Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
    for your love is more delightful than wine.

His thoughts of her - 

“You are altogether beautiful, my darling,
and there is no blemish in you.

“You have made my heart beat faster, my sister, my bride;
You have made my heart beat faster with a single glance of your eyes,
With a single strand of your necklace.
 “How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride!
How much better is your love than wine,
And the fragrance of your oils
Than all kinds of spices!
 “Your lips, my bride, drip honey;
Honey and milk are under your tongue,

The fragrance of your garments
    is like the fragrance of the fields of Lebanon.
¹² You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride;
    you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.

I'm going to bring out in her thoughts about her love, how she has been prudent and picks out a man among men, not rushing to fill a fleeting need but waiting to find the right man. A man she can find relief and comfort with in the journey of life as represented by "sitting in the shade." She is captivated by his kisses, his embrace and is faint with love without promiscuity: which I think he implies in his last two lines.  His reference to her as sister as well as bride reveals the depth of his feelings. He is not only her love but also her friend and protector. He sees the beauty in her love, and the promise of devotion. 

 In our culture often lust eclipses love, instant sexual gratification has all but extinguished romance and the joys of a caress, the affectionate touch and warm kisses are often bypassed in haste. 

Photo by Farhan Quaiy.