Il Profumo dell’Amore

Il grande difetto dell’uomo
è non conoscere l’amore.

Puoi avere mille donne,
ma solo una ti ha dato
il suo corpo
e l’anima.

Un amore che ti accompagna negli anni,
un amore che ogni giorno ti fa ridere,
un amore che riempie di gioia i tuoi occhi,
un amore che muore con te,
sulla stessa terra.

Sì, questo è l’amore:
quello che riempie la vita di senso,
quello che ti fa sentire vivo,
quello che ti fa capire
il valore dell’esistenza.

Le rose profumano
e puoi mettere i loro petali
nel tuo bagno:
il profumo resta nelle tue narici
e resta attaccato al tuo corpo.

L’uomo che riconosce l’amore
indossa il suo profumo,
un profumo che non si cancella nel tempo,
un profumo che resta per sempre
come una seconda pelle.

Non è il numero delle relazioni che conta,
ma la profondità dell’amore
che condividi con qualcuno
che ti sogna anche da sveglio
e ti ama veramente.

Un amore così è raro,
ma quando lo trovi
non lasciarlo andare:
stringilo forte al tuo cuore
e non lasciarlo mai.

Zaira Sellerio

The Scent of Love

The great flaw of man
is not knowing love.

You can have a thousand women,
but only one has given you
her body
and her soul.

A love that accompanies you through the years,
a love that makes you laugh every day,
a love that fills your eyes with joy,
a love that dies with you,
on the same earth.

Yes, this is love:
the one that fills life with meaning,
the one that makes you feel alive,
the one that makes you understand
the value of existence.

Roses give off their scent
and you can put their petals
in your bath:
the fragrance lingers in your nostrils
and clings to your body.

The man who recognizes love
wears its perfume,
a perfume that does not fade with time,
a perfume that remains forever
like a second skin.

It is not the number of relationships that matters,
but the depth of the love
you share with someone
who dreams of you even when awake
and truly loves you.

Such a love is rare,
but when you find it
do not let it go:
hold it tight to your heart
and never let it go.

Zaira Sellerio

Review

The Scent of Love presents itself as poetic prose, yet it carries the evocative power of true poetry. The author employs simple and direct language, which nonetheless conveys profound depth and universality.

The central theme is authentic love, contrasted with the superficiality of fleeting relationships. Sellerio emphasizes that it is not the number of experiences that gives meaning to life, but rather the quality and intensity of a unique bond, capable of enduring over time and becoming a “second skin.”

The metaphor of perfume serves as the text’s symbolic key: something invisible and intangible, yet persistent and unmistakable. Such is true love—it lingers, permeates, and accompanies even as time passes. The imagery of roses, petals, and a body retaining their fragrance lends sensory concreteness to an otherwise abstract sentiment.

The rhythm emerges from the repetition of phrases like “a love that…,” which punctuate the discourse and draw it closer to lyrical song. This creates a musicality that envelops the reader, guiding them through an emotional crescendo.

Ultimately, The Scent of Love is a hymn to the essential nature of deep connections. It is not merely a reflection on love but an invitation to recognize it, cherish it, and never let it slip away. The text resonates with sincerity and reads like a modern, intense, and immediate poem.

Some recognitions for her works

• National Poetry Prize “Arturo Massimi” in October 1999, Mentana – Rome.

• Plaque for the narrative prize at the international competition “Pelosa” in Messina, November 2000.

• Poetry plaque awarded by the Province of Rome, October 2000.

• International Competition “Antonio de Curtis” in Rome.

• Poets and Society Prize, German-Swiss delegation (international competition, honorable mention).

• Unpublished Poetry Prize, 5th edition of the “L’attualità – Bartolucci” prize, finalist diploma, October 27, 2001.

• International Artistic-Literary Competition “Antonio de Curtis – Totò,” Rome, October 22, 2002.

• ALIAS (Italian-Australian Writers’ Academy, in collaboration with C.R.A.S.E.S. in Palermo).

• International Literary Competition, 3rd ex-aequo poetry prize, October 10, 2003.

• First Poetry Prize at the “Il Salotto dell’Arte” gallery, Rome, March 22, 2009.

• “A Life for Culture” Prize, “Il Salotto dell’Arte” gallery, Rome.

• 4th International Literary Prize “Europa” for the novel From the Depths of the Heart, May 11, 2014, Lugano.

• 2nd Navarro Prize for the novel From the Depths of the Heart, May 13, 2018, Sambuca di Sicilia – Sicily.

• Special Lilly Broggi Prize “La Pergola Arte” for the novel From the Depths of the Heart, Florence, October 27, 2018.

• 5th Prize for the novel From the Depths of the Heart at Versilia Club “Massa, Fairy-Tale City of Sea and Marble,” September 28, 2019.

• 1st International Prize dedicated to the female universe “Donne d’Amore” V. Barrett, poetry section for “On the Steps of Piazza di Spagna.”

• 1st Prize for the literature section – novel, for the text Courage Is Female, Rome, May 22, 2023.

• Poetry Prize “At Your Feet,” city of Mercogliano (AV), for the poem “And There I Met My Mother,” September 8, 2024.

• 11th Edition San Valentino Prize – City of Atripalda (AV) – Cupido World Wide Section, for the poem “Ich habe dich geliebt” (I Loved You), April 26–27, 2025.