Tis the Season... for LOVE POETRY!!!

Darcy: I thought that poetry was the food of love.

Elizabeth: Of a fine stout love, it may. But if it is only a vague inclination I’m convinced one poor sonnet will kill it stone dead.

Not untrue. And perfect set-up for a great zing on Elizabeth's part. Or a "zing-back," if you will (if you don't know what I'm talking about, you should probs go watch Pride&Prej). I don’t think I have ever had this exact experience as described by Elizabeth, what with the “vague inclination” and the guy writing lousy poetry. But one time there was this guy who would write little “sweet nothings” on tennis balls and put them in my backpack because he knew I played tennis… I figure that is similar to the whole “bad poetry” thing… it had the same negative outcome, but like I said.. he didn’t even have “vague inclination” going for him… 

So anyway, back to the Darcy and Elizabeth dialogue... this week I encountered some really awesome “love poetry” in one of my classes and it was too good to not share. I was chuckling wholeheartedly, even guffawing, at these. And I will also include some that were actually just sweet. Or, at least, I thought they were sweet. I would also just like to say that the professor that wrote/shared these poems is probably one of the best people to ever walk the face of this earth. I am a huge fan and I am also grateful that he is letting me share some of his work.  He likes to write poetry for a genre called “Bad” where you write awful poems that are awful because they shamelessly abuse the normal poetic rules and styles etc. As opposed to “bad” poetry where you are just trying to be good and fail miserably. Both can be entertaining. He is also very good at writing clerihews. And lots of other things. Just for the record. 

(and if you slowly get bored with the poems, at least just skip down to the bottom, cuz my favorite poem is at the end! and since i know you guys all care about my favorite poem....) 

The first one is a special genre called “Zombie Haiku”

REGRET

When you gave me your

heart, valentine, you should have

known I was hungry

Tell me that isn’t some quality valentines poetry?!!!

Now, this next one is more akin to the “tennis-balls-in-backpack” scenario:

SARAN WRAP

       Fifth grade.

       School lunch.

I was PB&J on whole

                          Wheat

You were Twinkies and Velveeta

                          Cheese.

When I wasn’t looking you stole my heart with

                           ease.

All I wanted to do was

                            Eat,

But you filched my love without even a

                            Please.

Turned out you, you were a pernicious

                            cheat,

Just like cellophane on a blustery day.

For all the guys of the world…

ENTICER

A married man who begs his friend,

A bachelor, to wed and end

    His lonesome, sorry state,

Is like a bather in the sea,

Goose-pimpled, blue from neck to knee,

     Who cries, “The water’s great!”

Just some lovin' goodness here…

AMOR-A

How can the heart be an organ?

It’s got no keyboard.

No foot pedals.

No music stand.

It can’t play a hymn or a jazzy tune.

But, my dear, my heart has rhythm,

and it beats for you.

I’ll admit, this one is a little sketch, but I thought it was just sketch enough to be entertaining. And it is Stephen Crane. It remind me of Miss Havisham in a way, and she has long been a hero of mine… “BROKEN!” (Name that classic Dickens novel!!)

THE HEART

In the desert

I saw a creature, naked, bestial,

Who, squatting upon the ground,

Held his heart in his hands,

And ate of it.

I said, “Is it good, friend?”

“It is bitter –bitter,” he answered;

“But I like it

Because it is bitter,

And because it is my heart.”

And on that note… I figure it is probably about time for some “nice” poems, eh?

I thought this was really sweet.

ME FIRST

Knowing that a thousand years

are but a day in God’s reckoning,

can you blame me, Love,

for selfishly hoping to go first?

That way, I’ll endure only

seconds,

not years,

without you.

  

Or how about this classic from Emily Dickinson.

Heart, We Will Forget Him

Heart, we will forget him,

You and I, tonight!

You must forget the warmth he gave,

I will forget the light.

When you have done pray tell me,

Then I, my thoughts will dim.

Haste! ‘lest while you’re lagging

I may remember him!

This last one has long been a favorite. I’m not usually a big fan of metaphysical poetry, but John Donne wrote this for his wife, Anne. If I remember correctly, he was travelling and would be away for some time…. and he uses a drafting compass as a comparison for their love.

Like this…   

A VALEDICTION FORBIDDING MOURNING.

(okay, I know it looks long.. but it is worth it!! promise!!!) 

AS virtuous men pass mildly away,

   And whisper to their souls to go,

Whilst some of their sad friends do say,

    “Now his breath goes,” and some say,

“No.”

So let us melt, and make no

Noise,

      No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move;

“Twere profanation of our joys

      To tell the laity our love.

Moving of th’earth brings harms and fears;

    Men reckon what it did, and meant

But trepidation of the spheres,

     Though greater far, is innocent.

Dull sublunary lovers’ love

    ----Whose soul is sense----cannot admit

Of absence, ‘cause it doth

remove

     The thing which elemented it.

But we by a love so much refined,

     That ourselves know not what it is,

Inter-assured of the mind,

      Care less, eyes, lips and hands to

miss.

Our two souls therefore, which are one,

       Though I must go, endure not yet

A breach, but an expansion,

       Like gold to aery thinness beat.

If they be two, they are two

So

      As stiff twin compasses are two;

Thy soul, the fix’d foot, makes no show

     To move, but doth, if th’ other do.

And though it in the centre sit,

    Yet, when the other far doth

roam,

It leans, and hearkens after it,

      And grows erect, as that comes home.

Such wilt thou be to me, who must,

      Like th’ other foot, obliquely run;

Thy firmness makes my circle

just,

      And makes me end where I begun.

   And let's just end with this little treasure... 

Love is patient 

Love is kind... 

Love, is slowly losing your mind! 

Happy Valentine's DAY!!!