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The essential love poem anthology Gem Love Poems is a collection of around 140 classic love lyrics (published in time for Valentine's Day), from the heartbreak of Sappho The moon sinks, and the Pleiades: Midnight is come, the watchman passes, And I lie here alone. to the antidote of Wendy Cope The day he moved out was terrible - That evening she went through hell. His absence wasn't a problem But the corkscrew had gone as well. Gem Love Poems will be the ideal gift for all lovers of poetry -- indeed the ideal gift for all lovers. Here is the poem written by Leo Marks for Violet Szabo which she carried into Nazi-occupied Europe - The life that I have is all that I have And the life that I have is yours. The love that I have of the life that I have Is yours and yours and yours... And the eternal wisdom of Don Marquis's shameless alley cat, Mehitabel - i once was an innocent kit wotthehell wotthehell with a ribbon my neck to fit and bells tied on to it o wotthehell wottthehell but a maltese cat came by with a come hither look in his eye... from monotonous. It can modulate from friendship, through lifelong devotion, to sheer blunt lust. There is He and She, of course, but there is also the reader-over-their-shoulder. Love poems, I suspect, are not just written for that impossible she, but for this expected voyeur. And the interesting thing is that we, the readers, are prepared to take what the poets say, whatever it may be, as gospel truth. This is where love poetry differs from all other kinds...read this for its wit, its generosity, its bird-song, its consistency. Love and poetry -- two things wefire good at.
This anthology captures the spectrum of human affection through a curated selection of classic love lyrics that span centuries of poetic expression. The collection serves as a vessel for diverse voices, ranging from the ancient laments of Sappho to the contemporary wit of Wendy Cope. By organizing these works, the editors invite the reader to observe the shifting definitions of devotion, heartbreak, and desire. The narrative framework is non-linear, presenting a mosaic of perspectives that explore the intimacy between the poet, the subject, and the eventual audience.
This anthology is characterized by its broad reach, balancing the weight of historical tragedy with the levity of modern irony. The selection process suggests a deliberate attempt to move beyond traditional romantic tropes by including voices that challenge the reader's expectations. By juxtaposing classical wisdom with contemporary cynicism, the work highlights the enduring nature of love as a subject for artistic inquiry. The collection functions as a versatile reference for those interested in how different eras have articulated the complexities of human connection. It remains a focused study on the mechanics of poetic expression within the context of romantic experience.
Page Count:
246
Publication Date:
2004-01-01
Publisher:
HarperCollins
ISBN-10:
000717781X
ISBN-13:
9780007177813
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