2:8-17 In this poem, the woman anticipates the arrival of her lover. She describes the passing of winter and the coming of spring, a time of floral fragrance and new beginnings. She and her lover are in their country garden, a place of intimacy, though even here there is a hint of threat (2:15). 2:8-10 The man ardently desires to be in the woman’s presence. He finally arrives at his lover’s home and takes her into the romantic countryside during the new, budding spring. • The woman compares the man to a gazelle, a fast, sleek animal that easily overcomes obstacles to reach its destination.