“If thou must love me, let it be for nought
Except for love's sake only. Do not say
'I love her for her smile ... her look ... her way
Of speaking gently, ... for a trick of thought
That falls in well with mine, and certes brought
A sense of pleasant ease on such a day'
For these things in themselves, Beloved, may
Be changed, or change for thee,
--and love, so wrought,
May be unwrought so. "
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
poem in its entirety
(a little click will enlarge)
the how
of love spoken
here
* * *
as Valentine's Day
(February 14)
approaches I am reminded
that it may have begun
as a liturgical celebration
to honor those Christian saints
who had been martyred
rather than a day for romanticized love
accompanied by the giving of
candy, flowers, and cards
love lived well requires sacrifice
the unbuttoning of hearts and sleeves
for those we know and for those we don't know
* * *
chocolates and flowers
never hurt of course
! ! !
a brief
and somewhat
controversial history
