Love songs and poetry by women about men.

[Haitch]

Mad Girl's Love Song
Sylvia Plath

"I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead;
I lift my lids and all is born again.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

The stars go waltzing out in blue and red,
And arbitrary blackness gallops in:
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.
I dreamed that you bewitched me into bed
And sung me moon-struck, kissed me quite insane.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

God topples from the sky, hell's fires fade:
Exit seraphim and Satan's men:
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.
I fancied you'd return the way you said,
But I grow old and I forget your name.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

I should have loved a thunderbird instead;
At least when spring comes they roar back again.
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)"

 

[Mark Grant]

Paradise by Jean Adebambo. One of my fave Lovers Rock tunes.

 

[Ganymede]

To My Dear and Loving Husband

by Anne Bradstreet (17th C)

If ever two were one, then surely we.
If ever man were lov'd by wife, then thee;
If ever wife was happy in a man,
Compare with me ye women if you can.

I prize thy love more than whole Mines of gold,
Or all the riches that the East doth hold.
My love is such that Rivers cannot quench,
Nor ought but love from thee, give recompence.

Thy love is such I can no way repay,
The heavens reward thee manifold I pray.
Then while we live, in love let's so persever,
That when we live no more, we may live ever.

This always makes me blub hot tears of joy as it is exactly what I feel about Mr Ganymede. True.

 

[slowmotion]

Tracy Chapman. Just wonderful.
[media]
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjRo_CHSdt0
[/media]

 

[dellzeqq]

that might not be to a man

this was written by a man, but it really takes off when it's sung by a woman (then again Julie London and Ella Fitzgerald v. Justin Timberlake and Ronan Keating is a bit of a mismatch)

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkD_kYkRk3c

 

[dellzeqq]

and, continuing along a theme of love lost and pain suffered

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_SIfLzccbc

 

[Ganymede]

N

that might not be to a man

this was written by a man, but it really takes off when it's sung by a woman (then again Julie London and Ella Fitzgerald v. Justin Timberlake and Ronan Keating is a bit of a mismatch)

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkD_kYkRk3c

Great song but is it a love song?! Isn't it more like "so sue me" writ emotionally large? ie you say you love me now but it's too late, push off?

BTW totally with you on preferring the epic female interpretations!

 

[slowmotion]

that might not be to a man[/quote}

I forgot! Well spotted.

 

[swee'pea99]

Mrs Darwin
Went to the Zoo.
I said to Him -
Something about that Chimpanzee over there reminds me of you

Carol Ann Duffy

Also, the first part of her 'Little Red Cap':

 

[dellzeqq]

We, unaccustomed to courage
exiles from delight
live coiled in shells of loneliness
until love leaves its high holy temple
and comes into our sight
to liberate us into life.

Love arrives
and in its train come ecstasies
old memories of pleasure
ancient histories of pain.
Yet if we are bold,
love strikes away the chains of fear
from our souls.

We are weaned from our timidity
In the flush of love's light
we dare be brave
And suddenly we see
that love costs all we are
and will ever be.
Yet it is only love
which sets us free.

Maya Angelou

 

[ASC1951]

[QUOTE 2885972, member: 1314"]Lots of 'lyrics', very little 'poetry'.[/quote]OK. Going back a bit, there is Sappho's fragment 31 - she was regarded as one of the greatest poets of antiquity, even though hardly any of her verse survives.

 

[dellzeqq]

I will not mourn thee, lovely one,
Though thou art torn away.
'Tis said that if the morning sun
Arise with dazzling ray
And shed a bright and burning beam
Athwart the glittering main,
'Ere noon shall fade that laughing gleam
Engulfed in clouds and rain.

And if thy life as transient proved,
It hath been full as bright,
For thou wert hopeful and beloved;
Thy spirit knew no blight.

If few and short the joys of life
That thou on earth couldst know,
Little thou knew'st of sin and strife
Nor much of pain and woe.

If vain thy earthly hopes did prove,
Thou canst not mourn their flight;
Thy brightest hopes were fixed above
And they shall know no blight.

And yet I cannot check my sighs,
Thou wert so young and fair,
More bright than summer morning skies,
But stern death would not spare;

He would not pass our darling by
Nor grant one hour's delay,
But rudely closed his shining eye
And frowned his smile away,

That angel smile that late so much
Could my fond heart rejoice;
And he has silenced by his touch
The music of thy voice.

I'll weep no more thine early doom,
But O! I still must mourn
The pleasures buried in thy tomb,
For they will not return.

Anne Bronte

 

[theclaud]

I think of thee! - my thoughts do twine and bud
About thee,as wild vines, about a tree,
Put out broad leaves, and soon there's nought to see
Except the straggling green which hides the wood.
Yet, O my palm-tree, be it understood
I will not have my thoughts instead of thee
Who art dearer, better! Rather, instantly
Renew thy presence; as a strong tree should,
Rustle thy boughs and set thy trunk all bare,
And let these bands of greenery which insphere thee
Drop heavily down, - burst, shattered, everywhere!
Because, in this deep joy to see and hear thee
And breathe within thy shadow a new air,
I do not think of thee - I am too near thee.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

 

[User169]

Stand by your man

In Tammy's case even when, having confiscated his car keys, you realise he's made off to the liquor store some miles away on his lawn mower

 

[ufkacbln]

On a cycling theme:

View: http://vimeo.com/48756378

... The Geordie version by two girls....