Blazon


16th century French poem Clement Marot's blason anatomique celebrates a woman by listing parts of her body and comparing them to incredible things. It is very strange today, but I suppose it was in vogue somewhere in France at some point!

(The poetic blazon (or blazon). by alina Ştefănescu @ https://www.alinastefanescuwriter.com/blog/2021/5/26/the-poetic-blazon-or-blazon. Last accessed September 30, 2023.)

Scève’s Blason on the Neck (Blason de la gorge)

  • You widen into a white stomach,
  • Which is a chessboard that checkmates
  • Not only men but the gods,
  • Who above you play with you with their beautiful eyes.

(https://brill.com/view/journals/para/2/1/article-p71_4.xml?language=en)

Song of Solomon 4 follows this pattern.

  • Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes
  • that have come up from the washing,
  • all of which bear twins,
  • and not one among them has lost its young.

(Song of Solomon 4:2)