Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog by Taylor Mali
First of all, it’s a big responsibility,
especially in a city like New York.
So think long and hard before deciding on love.
On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security:
when you’re walking down the street late at night
and you have a leash on love
ain’t no one going to mess with you.
Love doesn’t like being left alone for long.
But come home and love is always happy to see you.
It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,
but you can never be mad at love for long.
Is love good all the time?
No! No! Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.
Sometimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk.
It runs you around the block and leaves you panting.
It pulls you in several different directions at once,
or winds around and around you
until you’re all wound up and can’t move.
But love makes you meet people wherever you go.
People who have nothing in common but love
stop and talk to each other on the street.
Throw things away and love will bring them back,
again, and again, and again.
But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.
And in return, love loves you and never stops.
First of all, it’s a big responsibility,
especially in a city like New York.
So think long and hard before deciding on love.
On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security:
when you’re walking down the street late at night
and you have a leash on love
ain’t no one going to mess with you.
Love doesn’t like being left alone for long.
But come home and love is always happy to see you.
It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,
but you can never be mad at love for long.
Is love good all the time?
No! No! Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.
Sometimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk.
It runs you around the block and leaves you panting.
It pulls you in several different directions at once,
or winds around and around you
until you’re all wound up and can’t move.
But love makes you meet people wherever you go.
People who have nothing in common but love
stop and talk to each other on the street.
Throw things away and love will bring them back,
again, and again, and again.
But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.
And in return, love loves you and never stops.
Love is Not All (Sonnet XXX) Edna St. Vincent Millay, 1892 - 1950
Love is not all: it is not meat nor drink Nor slumber nor a roof against the rain;
Nor yet a floating spar to men that sink And rise and sink and rise and sink again;
Love can not fill the thickened lung with breath, Nor clean the blood, nor set the fractured bone;
Yet many a man is making friends with death Even as I speak, for lack of love alone.
It well may be that in a difficult hour, Pinned down by pain and moaning for release,
Or nagged by want past resolution’s power, I might be driven to sell your love for peace, Or trade the memory of this night for food.
It well may be. I do not think I would.
Love is not all: it is not meat nor drink Nor slumber nor a roof against the rain;
Nor yet a floating spar to men that sink And rise and sink and rise and sink again;
Love can not fill the thickened lung with breath, Nor clean the blood, nor set the fractured bone;
Yet many a man is making friends with death Even as I speak, for lack of love alone.
It well may be that in a difficult hour, Pinned down by pain and moaning for release,
Or nagged by want past resolution’s power, I might be driven to sell your love for peace, Or trade the memory of this night for food.
It well may be. I do not think I would.
LINKS
https://www.poetrylibrary.edu.au/poets/cato-nancy/journeys-0063010
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LcYt7qZhOs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvgDAOG8W6c
https://www.poetrylibrary.edu.au/poets/cato-nancy/journeys-0063010
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LcYt7qZhOs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvgDAOG8W6c
Refugee Mother And Child (A Poem) by Chinua Achebe
Love is Not All (Sonnett XXX) by edna St Vincent Millay
Falling in Love is Like Owning A Dog by Taylor Mali
Love is Not All (Sonnett XXX) by edna St Vincent Millay
Falling in Love is Like Owning A Dog by Taylor Mali