The beloved concludes by declaring that her beloved's mouth is most sweet and he is altogether lovely, making a final assertion of his total beauty and the sweetness of his speech. The assertion that he is 'altogether lovely'—echoing the lover's earlier assertion that she is 'altogether beautiful'—establishes mutual aesthetic completion and suggests that the lovers are perfectly suited to each other. The beloved's emphasis on the sweetness of his mouth reiterates that his speech and communication are among the most valuable aspects of his being. This verse theologically suggests that authentic love involves mutual recognition of each other's total beauty and worth, and that erotic union is grounded in mutual aesthetic appreciation and the sweetness of communication.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

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