Love Poem No.1
Have you ever come across a line and thought ‘that’s it, that’s the theme of which all others are variations’? I was reading the other day and these words appeared: Then he fell in love with a rich man’s daughter. That line has dogged my mind for days. I’ve tagged it ‘the headwaters of romance.’ And today this flowed out –
The headwaters of romance? I can only point the way. Its a five-hundred year journey, up beyond the storehouses of snow and hail, up past the thick layer of wings and hooves, etched as a row of words on a polished rock that rests in the bend of the river that makes glad the city of God: ‘Then he fell in love with a rich man’s daughter.’ Those vowels and consonants are feathers a poor peasant boy, for example, fashions together to make wings to fly straight into a rich girl’s heart, or if not into at least close enough to melt. He will surely plummet, as thousands have, but as he does she will run to him and desire him all themore, as thousands have, for love has never been
the sustained flight but the grand, soaring fall.
Oh, I am not sure that I get it this time. Though, typically devour your posts. It is a rushed morning so maybe another read or two will reveal the real meaning you mean 🙂 But, as I hear that phrase – I wonder – is the rich man God? is his daughter the Church? is the poor man Satan?
Nah – probably trying to spiritualize too much. And, if not – write me one on that thought as only you could and I couldn’t – because I love to see him fall as he tries to woo us 🙂
Melanie? I’m guessing this is you. Thanks so much for leaving a comment. I came across this story of an illiterate sheepherder who fell in love with a rich man’s daughter and just like that, his life changed, as did hers. I felt like that line was an umbrella for all of our varied love stories. Is there a spiritual hint there? Probably, but hopefully the images are broad enough to cover both heaven and earth.
It’s Melanie and they are 🙂
I just sat here and shook my head. Imagine. In all of human existence, these words were never put together in such a beautiful, heartfelt way until today.
Rich, I’m just sitting here shaking my head…shucks…thanks.
that grand soaring fall – yes. good to remember that from time to time amid the everydayness of life. thanks for the reminder, John
Adore. That is what the story of Icharus reminds me of…(and why it caused me to walk into a closed door. But a plummet out an open window would’ve been painfully poetic.)