Happy Valentine’s Day! I confess that I’m still somewhat weary of this overly commercialized holiday. Nonetheless, I have to admit that lots of good love poetry and stories of longing have resulted in great writers from Shakespeare to Neruda.
An entire era of authors styled themselves Romantics (although they could get pretty dark), and every culture across the globe has love stories at the heart of their myths and legends. There are many different kinds of love, from Eros to Agape, to that aisle of “romance” novels in the bookstore. Love stories can be mushy or deep or just sensual, sometimes a little of each.
So what are some of your favorite poems and stories of love themes? Maybe you’ve written something yourself that you’ll read to your sweetheart tonight? After all, what’s a good story without love?
Ah, Romeo and Juliet is still my all time favorite. I don't know what that says about me, but it's true.
ReplyDeleteHappy Valentine's Day!
Not sure if I have a favorite, but I do like to wacth movies and read books where the guy gets the girl at the end. I'm a happy ending kind of guy and what could possibly be happier?
ReplyDeleteHi Mark! I'm dropping by from the Origins blogfest. I'm not too much into Valentines Day, but Ilove both Shakespeare and Neruda--oh and ee cummings.
ReplyDeleteNutschell
www.thewritingnut.com
Unfortunately, I think my wife has heard enough of my writing!
ReplyDeleteI'll select a book/movie combination - The Princess Bride.
I have to repeat what Alex said... The Princess Bride.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm also a Shakespeare kind of girl.
Romeo: If I profane with my unworthiest hand, this holy shrine, the gentle fine is this -- my lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand, to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.
ReplyDeleteJuliet: Good pilgrim, you do wrong, your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this; for saints have hands that pilgrim's hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.
Romeo: Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?
Juliet: Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.
Romeo: O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; they pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.
I like a bit of mushy becasue that's just how I am. I was thinking about your comment on blog and laughing about what you said in my MS when my characters first get together. I seriously laughed when I read that for the first time, and I pinned you as someone who's not into mushy like I am ;)
ReplyDeletePablo Neruda...Twenty Poems of Love :)
ReplyDeleteCan you believe it, I don't like reading romance at all. Its horror that attracts me. Though I do add mushy elements into my story, I seldom read love stories or the Romance genre.
ReplyDeleteBtw Mark, I did not peg you as a romantic person at all ;)
Shakespeare~!
ReplyDeleteI tend not to read a lot of romance but I watch plenty of romantic films. Go figure.
Emily – Got to love Shakespeare!
ReplyDeleteStephen – Hard to beat a happy ending:)
Nutshell – Nice to meet ya! I joined your blog as well.
Alex – Lol:) The Princess Bride movie is definitely better than the book (or so I’ve heard).
M.J. – Definitely good pics. Thanks for stopping by.
L.G. – Well quoted…although I’ve got to admit I love Mercutio’s lines myself:)
J.A. – What gave it away…using the word mush? I still enjoy reading your stuff though:)
Valerie – Got to luv Neruda!
Rachan – No matter how much any of us pretend, I think we’re all secretly romantics at heart whether we know it or not.
Lynda – Hey, as long as you enjoy Shakespeare it’s all good:)