Introduction by David James Duncan The Song of Songs is one of the greatest pieces of erotic literature ever written. With a uniquely feminine perspective, its language is seductive, intimate, and intoxicating, describing the voluptuous beauty of a woman and man madly in love with one another. Consisting of intense expressions of physical love, this classic poem conveys human passion through descriptions of the natural environment so powerful that readers can almost smell the flowers, taste the grapes, and hear the warbling of birds. While intensely erotic, the Song of Songs has also been described as a theology of human sexuality. Through its lush tone and beautiful, sensuous images, the Song of Songs points to a majesty beyond the earthly pleasures it describes. The sensual becomes implicitly spiritual; longing for one's lover hints at spiritual longing. In this illustrated adaptation of the Song of Songs, Judith Ernst renders this literary jewel accessible to a new generation of readers.While retaining much of the beloved phrasing from the King James Bible, Ernst has made stylistic changes that give the text a fresh and arresting charm. In addition, her twelve delicately detailed gouache paintings of a woman longing for her lover graphically capture the poem's moods of love. Interspersed between sections of the poem and their accompanying illustrations is short, thoughtful commentary to help readers understand ancient references in the text. Brilliantly regaining the erotic power, poetic beauty, and authentic experience of the text, this updated and reenvisioned Song of Songs -- with an engaging introduction by David James Duncan -- restores for modern audiences theseductive spell that has captivated readers for thousands of years.