love

i'm back

The Thing Is by Ellen Bass

to love life, to love it even
when you have no stomach for it
and everything you've held dear
crumbles like burnt paper in your hands,
your throat filled with the silt of it.
When grief sits with you, its tropical heat
thickening the air, heavy as water
more fit for gills than lungs;
when grief weights you like your own flesh
only more of it, an obesity of grief,
you think, How can a body withstand this?
Then you hold life like a face
between your palms, a plain face,
no charming smile, no violet eyes,
and you say, yes, I will take you
I will love you, again.

Nope, hipster nonsense. I'm out.
- Liz Lemon, 30 rock

lovesong

valentine

29. The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

When honesty is the best policy:

“Are you happiest and saddest right now that you’ve ever been?” “Of course I am.” “Why?” “Because nothing makes me happier and nothing makes me sadder than you.”

via

love this

hug part two

The Hug
by Thom Gunn

It was your birthday, we had drunk and dined
  Half of the night with our old friend
      Who'd showed us in the end
  To a bed I reached in one drunk stride.
      Already I lay snug,
And drowsy with the wine dozed on one side.

I dozed, I slept. My sleep broke on a hug,
      Suddenly, from behind,
In which the full lengths of our bodies pressed:
      Your instep to my heel,
  My shoulder-blades against your chest.
  It was not sex, but I could feel
  The whole strength of your body set,
         Or braced, to mine,
      And locking me to you
  As if we were still twenty-two
  When our grand passion had not yet
      Become familial.
  My quick sleep had deleted all
  Of intervening time and place.
      I only knew
The stay of your secure firm dry embrace.