Saturday, October 28, 2006

Poetry: The Lady's-Maid's Song - John Hollander

(via The Writer's Almanac, from Selected Poetry © Alfred A. Knopf)

Though shoulder, bosom, lip, and knee
   Are praised in every kind of art,
Here is love's true anatomy:
   His rib is gone; he'll have her heart.
So women bear the debt alone
   And live eternally distressed,
For though we throw the dog his bone
   He wants it back with interest.

2 Comments:

At 7:38 PM, Blogger Carol said...

How eloquently put...

The woman must be strong to be able to give her true heart away, and the man be strong to be able to truly protect it.

 
At 1:33 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

His rib is gone........but, how fortunate for him that he only gave up one rib and in return receives the greatest gift there is...a woman's heart.
If a woman is lucky enough, she will give her heart to the one man who will rise to the challenge of cherishing it and protecting it!
(and, hopefully NOT live eternally distressed!) CW ;-)

 

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